Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijan has defused the Armenian-planted anti-tank mines in liberated Khojavand region in Karabakh, the Interior Ministry reported.

Officers from the Khojavand region police department found the mines on the road to the region's Aghjakand village, the ministry's Barda regional group reported.

The Mine Action Agency was immediately informed about the case. While inspecting the territory, the agency's employees found three more anti-tank mines. All five mines were defused.

Moreover, two anti-tank mines were found on the Dudukchu-Edilli rural road. The agency, which was briefed about the case, continues de-mining operations in the area.

The agency defused 7,449 antipersonnel mines, 3,643 anti-tank mines, and 9,033 unexploded munitions from November 10, 2020, to May 31, 2021. In this period, the agency cleared 2,763.5 hectares of mines and unexploded ordnance.

Over 140 Azerbaijan citizens have been killed or injured in mine explosions since November 10, 2020.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security and cooperation.

On June 12, Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan mine maps for Aghdam, where 97,000 mines were planted.