(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Vugar Khalilov
The Azerbaijani Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has defused nearly
285 mines and unexploded ordnance in the liberated land on June
1-4, Azernews reports, citing the agency.
During the demining operations, the agency discovered 54
anti-personnel, 25 anti-tank mines, and 206 unexploded ordnances in
Tartar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Shusha, Gubadli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan
regions, the report added.
A 357-hectare-area was cleared of mines and unexploded ordnances
during the reported period.
On June 6, EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko stated
that the union has already become the largest donor in supporting
Azerbaijan's de-mining efforts in Karabakh, Azernews reports.
The ambassador made the remarks at a presentation of a joint
EU-UNDP (United Nations Development Program) project aimed at
assisting the de-mining process in the Azerbaijani lands liberated
from Armenian occupation.
'We'll seek to raise more funds to speed up this process. We
want to see the South Caucasus as a place without any mines,'
Michalko said.
The envoy also stated that the international community's
assistance is required in the prohibition of mines.
'This project will benefit everyone who is at risk from
unexploded ordnances and hopefully it will help save lives,' he
added.
The EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Organization and
the UNDP Office in Azerbaijan have announced the commencement of a
program to help those impacted by the previous Karabakh war.
The EU-funded Early Recovery Action Project will assist enhance
the lives and livelihoods of communities living in formerly
occupied territories by supporting de-mining works along the former
line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani military
forces.
Armenia alleged it gave to Azerbaijan all minefield maps of
liberated territories following the talks through the mediation of
the Russian Defence Ministry on December 4, 2021.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated that the low
accuracy of Armenia's minefield maps of Azerbaijani liberated
territories slows the mine-clearance process.
'The demining operations are underway, but people are still
losing their lives. From the end of the 44-day Second Karabakh War
to the present, over 200 people have become victims of mine
explosions in liberated lands,' Bayramov said at that point.
He added that the high mine contamination of the liberated
territories hinders the return of former internally displaced
persons to their native lands.
ANAMA, along with partner countries, is carrying out demining
activities on its liberated territories. Moreover, the State Border
Service and the Defence Ministry are also engaged in demining
activities in the liberated lands.
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.
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