“Unfortunately, Armenia continues to pursue a policy of mine terror against Azerbaijan, as more than a million mines were planted during the 30-year-long occupation. Furthermore, even after 2020, during negotiations on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, programs were implemented to transport landmines from Armenia to Azerbaijani territories,” said Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, in an interview with journalists.

Noting that Armenia is one of the largest producers of landmines in the region, Hikmet Hajiyev added: "A policy of planting landmines was carried out along the former line of contact and within the perimeter of the territory where the so-called regime is located. As a result, Azerbaijani civilians continue to fall victim to mine terrorism today. The Republic of Armenia bears direct responsibility for this, as Azerbaijani territories were planted with landmines as part of the state-level policy implemented by Armenia. Approximately 12 percent of our country’s territory is contaminated with mines. Demining requires significant effort and financial resources. But more importantly, it results in the loss of human lives. Demining is an extremely difficult process. In many cases, civilians have become victims of landmines by mistake or accident. Landmines also represent a continuation of Armenia’s deliberate policy of terror and occupation against Azerbaijan in other forms. This adversely impacts the pace of Azerbaijan’s restoration and reconstruction efforts, making it difficult for civilians to return safely to those territories. Although, as a result of pressure exerted on the Armenian side, some landmine maps have been provided, these maps do not reflect the actual situation on the ground and have low accuracy. Armenia has not yet handed over many of those maps. Even if they do, demining remains an extremely serious and life-threatening process.”