BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 2. Five more mine-detecting dogs have been brought into the country over the past few days, Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) Vugar Suleymanov told reporters, Trend reports.
"In 2021, a relevant agreement was signed with one of the US institutions, and the last five mine-detecting dogs under this agreement are already in Azerbaijan. Moreover, the delivery of mine-detecting dogs is planned in the future," he said.
Suleymanov noted with regret that a number of mine incidents had occurred in the liberated territories over the past week.
"Despite our educational activities and warning signs posted in these territories, citizens go to dangerous areas. Once again I urge citizens to be careful and follow the established rules," he added.
Previously, the US handed over five more Malinois dogs to ANAMA under the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the US Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) for de-mining Azerbaijan's liberated areas.
Following the liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation in the 2020 Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan from Nov. 2020 started carrying out operations on clearing its lands of mines, booby traps, and various weapons left behind by the Armenian troops.
Since the signing of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, by Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia [following the second Karabakh war] up to date, a total of 299 people, including military personnel and civilians, have become victims of mines as a result of the explosion of mines laid by the Armenian armed forces, 55 of them were killed, and 244 people were injured of varying severity.