Team:Edinburgh/mapxmluzbekistan



Uzbekistan <![CDATA[ Uzbek forces emplaced mines along its international borders at various times: on its borders with Afghanistan in 1998, with Kyrgyzstan in 1999, and with Tajikistan in 2000; Soviet troops also laid mines on the Uzbek-Afghan border. Some sources estimate that 50,000 to 200,000 antipersonnel mines were laid on the three borders. Another source stated the number could be 350,000.

The Uzbek Ministry of Defense stated that mines were emplaced in some mountainous areas along the borders with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prevent incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and to prevent drug trafficking and weapons smuggling.

There are also press reports of mine-laying as recently as 2003, although the locations are not specified, as well as claims that mines have since moved from their original emplacement due to climatic and geographic factors. The Uzbek-Kyrgyz border runs for about 1,300km, of which Kyrgyz authorities have estimated that about 42km were originally mined. According to Danish Demining Group, two minefields on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border are marked on the Uzbek side.

Mines continue to cause casualties. On 12 March 2008, an inhabitant from Isfarin district in the north of Tajikistan was seriously injured in a mine blast on the border with Uzbekistan. There have also been reports of an ERW problem in the Ferghana Valley region where Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan meet. There is a danger of accidental explosions, and tampering to salvage scrap metal.

There are no official records of mine casualties in Uzbekistan. The government does not confirm reports of mine-related casualties. The last casualties Landmine Monitor is aware of were reported in 2004 (four killed). Between 2000 and the end of 2004 there were at least 67 landmine casualties, of which at least 47 were killed. Uzbek landmines were reported to have caused Tajik casualties in the Sugd region on the Tajik-Uzbek border, with one Tajik source estimating that 69 Tajiks had been killed between 2000 and 2006.[ ]]> <![CDATA[]]>