Azernews.Az

By Ayya Lmahamad

Some 139 mines and munitions were found and defused on Azerbaijan's liberated territories from December 20 to December 25, the Mine Action Agency has reported on its official Twitter page.

The agency found and defused two anti-personnel and 25 anti-tank mines, as well as 112 unexploded ordnances in Tartar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Shusha, Gubadli, Jabrayil and Zangilan regions during the reported period.

Overall, 97 hectares were cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance in this period.

Meanwhile, the Emergencies Ministry special risk rescue service deputy chief, Maj-Genl Maharram Hasanov, stated that the most important issue now is the demining of Azerbaijan's liberated lands and the return of citizens to their native lands.

He made the remarks during the training "The role of media in educating the population about the mine threat".

Noting that the demining work on the liberated territories continues, Hasanov stated that huge areas were mined, therefore specially trained dogs have been involved in the demining process. He added that currently, 10 such dogs are involved in it.

“Since January 2021, groups of pyrotechnics have been participating in demining in the Aghdam and Fuzuli directions. Our employees have international certificates in the field of mine clearance and participate in the process at a high level," he said.

Earlier it was reported that 10,456 anti-personnel and 4,683 anti-tank mines, as well as 12,659 unexploded ordnances, were found and defused on the abovementioned territories from November 10, 2020, to November 30, 2021.

Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan all mine maps of Azerbaijan's liberated territories as a result of talks held through the Russian Defence Ministry's mediation on December 4, 2021.

On December 12, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters that mine maps provided by Armenia so far are not fully accurate.

"New minefield maps given by Armenia are being analyzed by the experts. It will take time. We can prevent the growing number of deaths as a result of mine explosions," he said.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan’s Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), along with the partner countries, carries out demining activities on its liberated territories.

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 December 9, the Prosecutor-General's Office has reported that 29 civilians and seven military servicemen were killed, as well as 109 servicemen and 44 civilians received injuries of varying severity as a result of mine explosions in the country’s lands since November 10, 2020.

Previously, on June 12, Azerbaijan handed over 15 Armenian prisoners in exchange for a map detailing the location of 97,000 mines in formerly-occupied Aghdam.

On July 3, Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan maps of about 92,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines planted during the occupation of Fuzuli and Zangilan regions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered peace agreement on November 10, 2020, to end 44 days of fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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