One of the most common types of mines are variants of the Russian-made PMN anti-personnel mines. In addition, during operations, we also encounter various types of explosive devices and ammunition.
“Elchi” reports that this was stated by Samir Poladov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA), at the event titled “Post-conflict urban reconstruction: The decisive role of humanitarian mine action,” organized by the agency.
He noted that during reconstruction work in various districts, booby traps and hidden explosive devices are being discovered:
“Usually, such devices are placed in areas where people do not expect them to be, which further increases the danger. Since 2023, large-scale clearance operations have been carried out in the territories where Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been fully restored. Some of the results achieved in this direction are reflected in the presented materials. The areas with the highest number of mine explosions have mainly been zones close to the former contact lines.”
Samir Poladov stated that numerous mine incidents were recorded, especially immediately after the conflict, during the period when people who had been displaced from their native lands for many years began to return:
“As a result, there have been heavy casualties among the civilian population. In some cases, mines are discovered hidden in forested areas, mountainous terrain, and even under trees. The mine threat is not limited to open areas. Furthermore, ancient underground irrigation systems, known as ‘kahriz’, are also areas that require special attention. As in the past, these systems are still used as water sources in some areas today. During reconstruction work, since people enter these tunnels, those areas are first completely cleared of explosive devices, and only then is safe construction work permitted. Since the end of the war in 2020, 425 people have been affected by mine and unexploded ordnance explosions. Of these, 73 people have died, and 352 have sustained various degrees of serious injuries. The victims include people of different age groups. Unfortunately, in some cases, children have also become victims of mines. It should be noted that since 2020, as a result of large-scale mine risk education programs, the number of incidents among the civilian population has decreased to some extent. However, the mine threat still remains, and the probability of such incidents occurring in the coming years continues.”