Azernews.Az

Fatima Latifova

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A weekly update on demining operations carried out by the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) in the liberated territories has been released for the period from November 4 to November 10, 2024, Azernews reports.

51 antipersonnel mines, 33 antitank mines, and 185 unexploded ordnance (UXO) were discovered in the territories of Tartar, Aghdam, Aghdara, Lachin, Fuzuli, Shusha, Khojali, Khankendi, Kelbajar, Khojavend, Jabrayil, Qubadli, and Zangilan.

It was reported that a total of 545.3 hectares of land have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance.

Note that despite attempts at formally requesting information about the location of those mines, Armenia repeatedly denied that it possessed the relevant information and refused to engage on the issue.

Finally, in February this year, Armenia has submitted 8 minefield maps of territories located in the liberated lands to Azerbaijan. These maps cover some of the areas along the former contact line. However, the maps covering part of the former contact line passing through Khojavand, Tartar, and Goranboy districts, as well as the areas mined by Armenian military units when they retreated in November 2020, has not been submitted yet.

Many have suspicions about these maps because previous minefield maps submitted by Armenia were inaccurate. Only 25 percent of these maps were correct. Especially submitting minefield maps of the height where civilians do not live increases this suspicion. It is also worth noting that more than 55% of recent landmine cases have occurred outside the areas covered by the information provided.

The behavior that Armenia displayed by relation to the landmine threat is indeed another setback to the peace and confidence-building measures taken during the post-conflict period in the region.

It is worth noting that because of Azerbaijan's liberated territories remain contaminated with mine, the new infrastructure and green energy projects remains a risky and problematic goal. These obstacles to a legal peace are part of the challenges facing the repopulation, development and integration of the liberated territories on the path to a full peace.

The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action, known as ANAMA, has grown from a fledgling organization to one fully equipped to clear mines, provide risk education and assist survivors of accidents. Today ANAMA's efforts are aimed to continue increasing and expansion of mine action capacity to provide the clearance of all liberated areas of Azerbaijan.