Azernews.Az

The Azerbaijani Military Prosecutor’s office has launched a criminal case into the 13 May mine blast that wounded an officer of the Emergencies Ministry, Azernews reports, citing the prosecutor’s office.

According to the press service of the Military Prosecutor's Office, the Aghdam Military Prosecutor's Office has initiated a criminal case under Article 29, 120.2.12 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code (attempted murder with intent to incite national, racial, religious hatred or enmity). Witnesses were interrogated, relevant examinations were appointed and other necessary investigative actions were carried out, the report added.

The investigation is underway and all measures will be taken in line with the law.

Capt Suleyman Heydarov, chief of the fortification and pyrotechnic training department of the Special Risk Rescue Service of the Emergencies Ministry, was injured in a mine-clearing operation in Aghdam, the ministry reported on May 13.

The victim is being provided with necessary medical care, the report said.

Although about 18 months have passed since the 44-day war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, mines of different types planted by Armenia in the formerly occupied territories continue to endanger human lives in the liberated lands.

Almost every day, there is news of civilians or military personnel being injured or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated lands.

This once again proves that Armenia continues its mine warfare against Azerbaijan's both civilian and military personnel. Reports coming from official sources indicate that nearly 80 percent of the minefield maps submitted by Armenia to Azerbaijan are wide of the mark. Armenia appears to be committing war crimes by concealing the locations of landmines, allowing more innocent people to die.

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev earlier described as accurate only 25 percent of minefield maps provided by Armenia. The Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation in the second Karabakh war in 2020 are the most mine-littered region in the world.

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

In an address to the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union in Brussels on December 15, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev said that about 200 people had been killed or injured in mine explosions to that date. In this regard, he stressed the importance of the European Union and member states providing technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan in eliminating the mine problem.

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