Azerbaijan demonstrates commitment to humanitarian values in mine clearance

Azerbaijan is facing large-scale landmine contamination which poses a serious threat to civilians, socio-economic development, and the environment in the liberated territories, Elnur Gasimov, Head of the Quality Control Department of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), said during the international seminar "Towards a Mine-Free World: The Example of Azerbaijan," held Monday in the capital of Malaysia.

Report quotes Gasimov as saying over one million hectares in the southwest of the country remain mined. Since the end of hostilities in these areas, 243 incidents have been recorded, resulting in 70 deaths and another 330 injuries.

"Unfortunately, the number of incidents has increased as people have begun to return hastily to the liberated territories. These figures clearly reflect the scale of the threat and highlight the need for continued international support for the demining process," Gasimov noted.

He added that as of July 2025, Azerbaijan had cleared over 200,000 hectares of land. During the operations, 37,655 anti-personnel mines, 21,992 anti-tank mines, and 143,010 unexploded ordnances were neutralized.

Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), Dato’ Seri Mohd Hishamuddin Yunus, in turn, emphasized that the organization is committed to protecting the rights of all people, especially vulnerable groups, and strongly condemns the use of anti-personnel mines.

“SUHAKAM is deeply aware of the seriousness of the situation Azerbaijan faces due to mine and unexploded ordnance contamination. Despite Malaysia’s firm stance on banning anti-personnel mines, we must also enhance public awareness of the dangers of such munitions and educate people on how to act when they are found,” he stated.

According to estimates, full demining in Azerbaijan may take around 20 years and require approximately $25 billion.