Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan’s National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) detected in the Tartar region of Azerbaijan on June 8 two more unexploded ordnances (UXOs) fired by Armenia.

The Agency told Trend that its experts examined the territory of Jamilli village of the Tartar region, including one house and four shell craters on a cultivation area; found and neutralized parts of two Grad missile engines.

ANAMA inspected five houses and gardens, three acreages, 12 shell craters, discovered and defused two unexploded ordnance, inspected and cleansed an area of 51,000 square meters on June 8.

Overall, 590 houses and household plots, 21 farms, five rural schools, two military units and rural cemeteries, one medical center, acreages and winery in Zardab, Tartar, Shamkir, Agjabedi, Agdam, Fizuli, Tovuz, Goranboy, Samukh, Shamkir, Jalilabad and Ujar regions, Mingachevir, Baku and Sumgayit were inspected from April 7 to June 8 by ANAMA. As a result, 1,509 UXOs, 14 anti-personnel and seven anti-tank mines were detected and neutralized.

Currently, special rapid response teams of ANAMA with minesweeper dogs continue their operations for detecting UXBs in the border settlements.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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