KHANKENDI, Azerbaijan, June 17. The next meeting of the working group on clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in liberated territories of the Interdepartmental Center under the Coordination Headquarters, established to resolve issues in a centralized manner in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, has been held in Khankendi city, Trend reports.
During the visit, representatives of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) and relevant government agencies represented in the working group got acquainted with the humanitarian demining work carried out by ANAMA in Sarijali village in the Aghdam district and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan in Alimadatli village of the same district.
The members of the working group observed the progress of the projects, encompassing the methodology of neutralizing the identified munitions and unexploded ordnance through controlled detonation protocols.
Subsequently, a comprehensive convening of the task force transpired in Khankendi.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of ANAMA and head of the working group, Vugar Suleymanov, provided updates during the session on the progress of clearance operations conducted in line with the annual action plan. He emphasized that mine clearance, as a central pillar of the Great Return program, is vital not only for ensuring public safety but also as a foundational step toward socio-economic development and the resettlement of displaced populations in their ancestral lands.
The head of the agency emphasized that in 2025, demining operations cleared a total of 27,204 hectares contaminated by mines and explosive remnants of war. This included 8,318 hectares designated for residential development, 9,176 hectares for agricultural use, 1,951 hectares for environmental assessment, 708 hectares for transportation infrastructure, 628 hectares for land reclamation and water management, with the remainder allocated to other high-priority projects.
Sabukhi Gahramanov, Deputy Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in Khankendi, Aghdara, and Khojaly districts, spoke about upcoming projects being implemented as part of the President's directives for restoring the liberated territories. He stressed the success of the Great Return program and the importance of creating conditions for safe and sustainable resettlement.
Participants exchanged views on ongoing issues related to humanitarian demining and reviewed progress in infrastructure reconstruction. Reports were presented by agencies involved in clearance operations, including information on equipment and technology used.
Amid the growing return of former internally displaced persons and increasing tourist visits, attendees discussed enhancing joint public awareness campaigns about mine risks. Proposals were made to expand outreach efforts in partnership with relevant agencies and to implement forward-looking educational and safety initiatives.
ANAMA was founded in 1998. It mobilizes the requisite resources to address mine action in alignment with national needs and priorities, coordinates inter-agency efforts for the safe clearance of mines from de-occupied and war-affected regions, continues to conduct research, clears mines from territories, and transfers them to end users, while also communicating Azerbaijan's mine issue to the global community and enhancing mutually beneficial collaboration with international and donor organizations to combat the mine threat.
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