Azerbaijan needs international support for demining, ANAMA says

Azerbaijan is facing large-scale landmine contamination that poses a major threat to civilians, economic development and the environment in liberated territories, a senior official from the national demining agency said on Monday.

Speaking at an international seminar in Kuala Lumpur titled “Towards a Mine-Free Peace: The Example of Azerbaijan,” Elnur Gasimov, head of quality control at ANAMA, said more than one million hectares in the country’s southwest remain mined.

Since the end of hostilities, 243 mine-related incidents have been recorded, killing 70 people and injuring 330 others, he said.

“Unfortunately, incidents have increased as people rush to return to liberated lands,” Gasimov said, stressing the urgent need for continued international assistance in demining operations.

As of July 2025, Azerbaijan has cleared more than 200,000 hectares of land, neutralizing 37,655 anti-personnel mines, 21,992 anti-tank mines and 143,010 unexploded ordnance, ANAMA reported.

Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamuddin Yunus, head of Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), condemned the use of anti-personnel mines and expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan. He also emphasized the need for public awareness about the dangers of such explosives.

According to preliminary estimates, full demining in Azerbaijan could take up to 20 years and cost around $25 billion.

N.Tebrizli