Mines claim 72 lives in Azerbaijan since 2020 - Foreign Ministry

Since the end of the Karabakh war, 72 Azerbaijanis have been killed by landmines, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

The ministry reported on its social media accounts that of the total victims, 72 have died, and 347 have been seriously injured.

It was noted that landmines continue to pose a serious threat to the lives of civilians and hinder the safe return of former internally displaced persons, as well as ongoing reconstruction efforts.

"Azerbaijan remains committed to demining operations to ensure citizens can safely and sustainably return to liberated lands and calls on international partners to support these efforts through joint action,” the statement reads.

The ministry also recalled that a mine incident occurred on March 12, 2026, in the village of Ashaghi Veysalli in the liberated Khojavend District, where a resident of Aghdam District died after stepping on an anti-tank mine while herding livestock in an area that had not yet been cleared along the former contact line.