Hikmet Hajiyev: Azerbaijan continues to live under daily mine threat
While the world moves forward, Azerbaijan continues to live under the daily threat of mines.
This was stated by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department, in a post on his social media account on platform X, dedicated to the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed on April 4.
"While the world moves forward, Azerbaijan continues to live under a silent, invisible threat—every single day," emphasized H. Hajiyev.
In his post, he highlighted that:
• Approximately 12% of Azerbaijan's territory was contaminated with over 1.5 million mines by Armenia during 30 years of occupation.
• Since 2020—during peacetime—more than 400 civilians have been killed or severely injured.
• Mine contamination hinders reconstruction and recovery projects in the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions of Azerbaijan, as well as the safe and dignified return of former internally displaced persons.
"These are not just numbers. These are lives cut short, families shattered, futures stolen. Demining is not just a technical process. It is a matter of justice. It is a matter of human dignity. It is a matter of the fundamental right of people to return safely to their homes," noted the presidential assistant.
