Team:Edinburgh/mapxmlazerbijan



Azerbijan <![CDATA[Azerbaijan is contaminated by mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), primarily as a result of the war with Armenia in 1988–1994. In territory controlled by Azerbaijan, especially high mine contamination is found in Fizuli district. There are also significant amounts of abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO), including cluster munitions, in and around a former Soviet ammunition storage area (ASA) at Saloglu in Agstafa district. The Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) identified 480 mine-impacted communities and 163 ERW-impacted communities in 18 districts. In total, 970 suspected hazardous areas (SHAs) were reported to affect more than 500,000 people. The LIS result termed the contamination level as “extensive” with 736km2 of land contaminated with mines and ERW, all located along the border with Armenia. A large area around the former Soviet military base in Agstafa district is highly contaminated with explosive ordnance. The ASA in Saloglu village consisted of 138 bunkers. In 1991, when Azerbaijan gained independence, the warehouse was blown up by the departing Soviet army, scattering tens of thousands of munitions over an area of 44km2. The greatest impact from contamination in the country is said to be on pasture and cropland (both rain-fed and irrigated), although some roads and water sources are also blocked due to the presence of mines and ERW

In 2007, 20 new mine/ERW casualties in Azerbaijanwere recorded; four people were killed and 16 injured in 12 incidents/accidents. The majority of casualties (15) were military and two were EOD personnel in an accident in Saloglu. Three casualties were civilians, two were children grazing animals, and one was a farmer.

The Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines (AzCBL) reported 32 new mine/ERW casualties in 2007. Ten were killed (including five civilians) and 22 were injured (including one woman and one child) in 17 incidents, a slight decrease from 35 casualties (four killed and 31 injured) recorded in 2006. Civilians accounted for 14 of the casualties and the military for 18. Casualties continued to occur in 2008, with ANAMA recording six people injured by mines/ERW until June; four men, one woman and a child. AzCBL reported seven new mine/ERW casualties (all injured), including one military casualty to July 2008. ]]> <![CDATA[]]>