BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 26. The mine issue has remained a top priority for Azerbaijan since November 2020, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during a press conference reviewing the year’s developments, Trend reports.
The minister noted that mine maps, accurate to only twenty-five percent, were handed over to Azerbaijan eight months after the conflict ended.
"We will continue to insist on resolving this issue. The other side claims it has given everything it possesses. The situation with mines remains critical. Already, there have been over 415 mine victims, including 71 fatalities. The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) is expanding its cooperation with international organizations. In 2020-2023, attempts to establish a second contact line, illegal transportation of ammunition through the Lachin corridor, and the planting of mines in Azerbaijani territories continued," he said.
Bayramov emphasized that resolving the mine problem in the short term does not seem realistic.
"Citizens should avoid entering liberated areas where the risk of landmines is high," he added.
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