Azerbaijan confronts extensive mine threat after conflict
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Vugar Suleymanov, chairman of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), reported that 438 people have been victims of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Azerbaijan since the end of the Second Karabakh War, including 73 fatalities.
He made this announcement during a roundtable at the 4th Baku Climate Action Week in Baku, Azerbaijan. Suleymanov explained that mine contamination hinders the safety of citizens, infrastructure development, agricultural projects, and the return of displaced people to their homes.
Azerbaijan ranks among the most mine-contaminated countries globally, with preliminary estimates suggesting over 1 million mines laid in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions during the occupation. The threat extends beyond immediate danger to people, impacting soil, water, biodiversity, and the broader ecosystem. Since the end of the war, ANAMA and other organizations have cleared 300,565 hectares of land and removed or neutralized 261,705 mines and explosive devices.
These clearance efforts support various projects including early warning systems (31,037 hectares), agriculture (132,447 hectares), residential infrastructure (71,202 hectares), and energy and water management. ANAMA is also fencing off heavily contaminated areas to ensure safety while demining continues, viewing each cleared hectare as an opportunity for future development.
The agency uses advanced technologies like detectors, drones, and specialized vehicles while adhering to International Mine Clearance Standards, and Suleymanov expressed Azerbaijan’s willingness to share its experience and collaborate with international partners on mine action.
