BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 6. In our territories liberated from Armenian occupation, mines and unexploded ordnance laid during the occupation continue to pose a threat to the lives and health of civilians and military personnel. Yesterday, as a result of a mine explosion in the Kalbajar district, five servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army suffered injuries of varying severity, the statement issued by the Azerbaijani Ombudsperson's Office said, Trend reports
The statement says that the mass laying of mines on the territory of Azerbaijan, the exact maps of which have not yet been provided, continues to pose a serious threat to the lives and health of innocent people on a daily basis.
Moreover, it was noted that the mines also create obstacles to the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands and to the restoration of these territories, and cause serious damage to the environment, disrupting the ecological balance in the region.
Furthermore, it was emphasized that, despite our repeated appeals to international organizations to provide information on the exact maps of mines laid in the territories we have liberated, the Armenian side refuses to provide this information, violating the requirements of international humanitarian law.
“As the Human Rights Ombudsperson of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I once again call on the relevant international organizations to exert serious influence on Armenia with the aim of transferring accurate maps of minefields to Azerbaijan and to respond decisively to its military and environmental crimes, including violations of humanitarian law,” the statement reads.