Baku State University (BSU) hosted a training session on “Mine Clearance in the Liberated Territories” conducted by Ramil Azizov, Head of the Education and Criminal Work Department at the Mine Clearance Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA).

During the session, Ramil Azizov reported that 11,667 square kilometers of the liberated territories remain contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, with contamination levels ranging from low to high. He noted that more than 900 settlements were completely destroyed during the occupation. Over the five years since the Patriotic War, ANAMA has detected and cleared 39,533 antipersonnel mines, 22,762 antitank mines, and 168,487 pieces of unexploded ordnance. Between 1991 and 2025, 3,491 people in Azerbaijan were injured in mine-related explosions, including 362 children and 38 women.

Azizov also spoke about modern demining methods and technologies, noting that specially trained dogs, rats, and mechanized equipment are widely used in operations. He added that the development of local production capacity is helping accelerate the demining process. For the first time in Azerbaijan, and with support from UNDP and the Mine Action Advisory Group, women’s demining teams have been established and are actively participating in field operations.

At the conclusion of the training, Azizov emphasized that reducing mine-related risks has been designated as the 18th direction of Azerbaijan’s National Development Goals. Thanks to the initiatives of President Ilham Aliyev, mine action has been recognized as a separate national priority at international forums. Given that more than 60 countries worldwide face mine threats, he stressed the importance of addressing mine action as an independent development goal.