I am a former refugee from Karabakh, born in the Jabrayil region of Azerbaijan. When I was three years old, Armenian armed forces took over my home, forcing my family to flee and become internally displaced persons (IDPs). We spent many years in refugee camps, moving from one city to another in Azerbaijan, searching for stability that never came. I have no pictures from my childhood—only fragments of memories filled with uncertainty, longing, and loss.
For as long as I can remember, I have been searching for a place to call home, yet I still don’t know where I truly belong.
Two years ago, after 30 years of displacement, I finally traveled to Karabakh with my father—it was our shared lifelong dream come true. As we passed through ghost towns left in ruins by three decades of Armenian occupation, my eyes filled with tears. The echoes of destruction surrounded me, and in my mind, I kept hearing the haunting words of Skylar Grey’s song Coming Home.
“I’m coming home, I’m coming home
Tell the world I’m coming home
Let the rain wash away
All the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits
And they’ve forgiven my mistakes
I’m coming home, I’m coming home”
I tried to hide my tears, but I could see the same silent pain in my father’s eyes—the pain of longing, of years lost, of a dream that remained just out of reach. We were only two among thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), victims of a war that shattered lives and scattered families across foreign lands.
But even as we stood on the land that once held our past, we could not return home—Jabrayil, the place of my birth, now a silent graveyard of memories. Landmines, the deadly remnants of war, still made our city inaccessible. My home remains one of the most mine-contaminated areas in the world. The very soil is laced with explosives, and the fields where we once played as children are now too dangerous to step upon. Karabakh has one of the highest rates of accidents caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) planted by Armenian forces—a silent killer that continues to claim lives, even in so-called times of peace.
And so, we wait. My family, like so many others, clings to the hope that one day we will return—not as visitors, not as wanderers, but as people finally coming home to rebuild what was stolen from us.
Landmine Victims in 53 Countries
Landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) continue to claim innocent lives worldwide, remaining a deadly legacy of war long after conflicts end. In many countries, vast areas remain contaminated, making everyday activities like walking to school or playing outside life-threatening for children.
According to the Landmine Monitor 2024, Myanmar surpassed Syria as the country with the highest number of landmine casualties in 2023, with 5,757 new victims recorded across 53 countries and two other areas, including 1,983 deaths. Civilians made up 84% of these casualties, and shockingly, children accounted for 37%.According to Landmine Monitor, Azerbaijan remains one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries, with an estimated 1.5 million landmines posing a threat to over 13% of its territory. Since 1991, Armenian military forces have extensively planted mines within Azerbaijani territory—including Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent districts—both during the occupation and aftermath of the Second Karabakh War, throughout the post-conflict period.
ENVOY interview with Aykhan Hajizada, the Spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provides an in-depth perspective on Azerbaijan’s landmine crisis, offering critical insights into the challenges and ongoing demining efforts in the region.
The Story Behind Karabakh’s Landmine Crisis
The spokesperson explained that Karabakh is among the most heavily mine-contaminated regions due to Armenia’s military occupation of Azerbaijani territories for over three decades.
Azerbaijan has suffered from the landmine threat and had many landmine victims throughout the 30-year-long military occupation of its territories by Armenia. Over the course of these three decades, more than 3,400 Azerbaijanis fell victim to landmines, including 359 children and 38 women. Despite the end of the 44-day Patriotic War and the end of the conflict in 2020, Armenia continued its deployment of landmines until its forces were eventually forced to leave Azerbaijani territories as a result of the local anti-terror measures in September 2023.
In 2022, it was revealed that more than 2,700 anti-personnel landmines, produced in Armenia in 2021, had been planted in the Lachin and Kalbajar regions of Azerbaijan. This revelation proved that Armenia’s long-standing claims of non-production and non-export of landmines were completely false. Furthermore, following the anti-terror measures in September 2023, more than 500,000 landmines were discovered in Azerbaijani territories, including those where the Russian peacekeeping forces had been deployed. This underscores the scale of the ongoing threat. Since the end of the war in November 2020, 383 Azerbaijanis have become victims of landmine explosions.
Azerbaijan’s Demining Efforts: 95% Funded by the Government
While acknowledging the challenges, Hajizada pointed out that given the devastating impact and magnitude of the landmines, Azerbaijan has made humanitarian demining of Karabakh and East Zangezur regions one of its priorities. The spokesperson indicated that while international partners support these efforts, more assistance is needed. “To date, approximately 185,707 hectares of land have been cleared by Mine Action Agency of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) and other operators, 181,148 explosive devices have been successfully detected and neutralized, including:
- 36,103 anti-personnel mines
- 21,457 anti-tank mines
- 123,376 unexploded ordnances (UXOs).”
Landmine clearance is a complex and lengthy process, but Azerbaijan has mobilized its resources and invested in the latest technologies to enhance efficiency.
However, despite the significant efforts made, international support remains insufficient. While Azerbaijan’s government funds approximately 95% of the demining operations, given the scale of the problem, contributions from international organizations and partner countries (i.e. KSrelief, NSPA, MLI, Roots of Peace, ARMAC, and MAG) are not enough to meet the full scale of the challenge. More political and practical support from the international community is urgently needed to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of landmines and help clear the affected areas,” the spokesperson added.
Incomplete Mine Maps Put Civilians and Deminers at Risk
The spokesperson explained that despite Azerbaijan’s repeated calls on Armenia, both before the 44-day Patriotic War and during the post-conflict period, to provide landmine maps in order to put an end to the landmine threat, this country for a long time denied the existence of such maps.
“After international pressure, Armenia provided some maps, but these covered only a small portion of the landmine-planted areas and were only 25% accurate. Over 55% of recent landmine cases have occurred outside the areas covered by these maps.
Moreover, while Armenia’s maps indicated that approximately 400,000 landmines were planted in Azerbaijan’s territories, the actual number is closer to 1.5 million. This sort of behavior displayed by Armenia in relation to the landmine threat is yet another setback to the peace and confidence-building measures taken during the post-conflict period in the region. In this regard, we deem it of utmost importance for the international community to take consistent measures to condemn the landmine threat posed by Armenia and expect Armenia to submit accurate maps of all landmined sites that have not yet been fully presented to Azerbaijan. It is crucial that Armenia provide accurate maps of all landmine sites to allow for the safe return of IDPs and the rebuilding of affected regions,” said Hajizada.
Rebuilding Karabakh for Returning IDPs
When discussing the current situation in the region, Hajizada emphasized that since 2022, over 10,000 former IDPs have returned to 10 settlements in the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions of Azerbaijan.
“Approximately 30,000 people now live and work in these areas, contributing to sectors such as construction, government, and other industries. By the end of 2025, 30 settlements will accommodate former IDPs. The Azerbaijani government has taken significant measures to ensure the development of these areas, focusing on job creation, sustainable regional development, and providing decent living conditions. The government is constructing modern housing, building infrastructure, and providing essential amenities. Economic initiatives in small business development and agriculture are underway to boost the local economy. These efforts are all aimed at ensuring that people can return to Karabakh and East Zangezur in a safe, stable, and prosperous environment.
Additionally, both Karabakh and East Zangezur have been designated as green energy zones. Since the end of the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020, Azerbaijan has invested significantly in hydro energy, with 270 megawatts of hydroelectric power already operational within four years. However, despite all these endeavors, Armenia’s indiscriminate, massive, and purposeful planting of landmines in the territories of Azerbaijan remains a source of enormous danger to the lives of our citizens, along with impeding the restoration and reconstruction works in the region and the return of former IDPs to their lands. This indicates that, among other things, the evident aim of Armenia’s widespread landmine deployment was to hinder the return of former IDPs to their homeland and obstruct the rehabilitation of these areas,” Hajizada explained.
Aykhan Hajizada highlighted that Azerbaijan has actively raised international awareness about the severe landmine problem in Karabakh and East Zangezur.
“In 2023, humanitarian demining was formally recognized as the 18th National Sustainable Development Goal in Azerbaijan, and we are striving to have it recognized as the 18th Global Sustainable Development Goal by the United Nations.
Additionally, Azerbaijan proposed the creation of a Special Contact Group on Humanitarian Demining within the Non-Aligned Movement, which became operational in September 2023. In 2023, Azerbaijan also led a resolution at the 15th meeting of the states-parties to the “1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,” titled “The Impact of Mines on Cultural Heritage.”
In May 2024, Azerbaijan will host a special conference in Aghdam on “The Impact of Mines and Unexploded Ordnance on Cultural Property,” followed by an international conference in Zangilan and Baku on “Mitigating the Environmental Impact of Landmines: Resource Mobilization for a Safe and Green Future.” Within the framework of the conference, a letter of intent was signed between ANAMA and the UN Development Program on establishment of “Center of Excellence” to provide education on the mine action. This notable development will allow Azerbaijan to share its expertise with the countries that face similar problems. These efforts highlight Azerbaijan’s ongoing commitment to addressing the global landmine crisis and increasing awareness of the issue,” said Hajizada.
“I Chose to Be Strong”: A Landmine Survivor’s Story
At the age of 21, Tamam Jafarova’s (48) life changed forever when she lost her left leg in a landmine explosion. Although the area wasn’t directly involved in active conflict, it was still impacted. In an exclusive interview with Envoy, she shared the traumatic event that altered her life in an instant.
Tamam Jafarova was born on July 3, 1976, in the village of Qosha, located in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district.
In July 1997, while tending to livestock near her family’s home, Tamam stepped on a landmine placed by Armenian military forces. The explosion was devastating, and in the blink of an eye, her life was shattered. At a young age, she lost her left leg above the knee from the blast.
“It was over in a moment. When I opened my eyes, my leg was gone—it was burned beyond recognition. My right leg and arm were also severely injured. The soldiers nearby heard the explosion and rushed to my side. They transported me to the central hospital in Tovuz,” she recounted.
Tamam underwent an above-the-knee amputation and sustained a serious brain injury. Her condition was dire, and medical professionals were uncertain she would survive. “When I woke up, the first thing I saw was my father crying. His sorrow struck me deeply, and it became clear to me that I needed to be strong. Although I struggled with depression for a long time, the support from my doctor helped me rediscover my strength and find a new purpose in life.”
Now 48, Tamam has dedicated her life to helping others who have survived landmine accidents. Over the past two years, she has led awareness campaigns alongside the Red Cross and Red Crescent. She is also a poet and the author of two books. Additionally, Tamam creates intricately knitted gloves, shawls, hats, and other handmade items—therapeutic crafts that assist her in coping with the physical and emotional toll of being a landmine survivor.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Azerbaijan’s Demining Efforts a Top Priority for the UN
In an exclusive interview with Azerbaijan Report News Agency (November 6, 2024), Guterres highlighted the collaborative work being done between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Azerbaijani government in addressing the landmine contamination in the country. Guterres emphasized that demining is critical for Azerbaijan’s development, noting, “We are fully supporting the government of Azerbaijan to allow for areas to be demined. The end of contamination is essential for people to return to their areas of origin and for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and government projects benefiting its population.”
Challenges with Inaccurate Mine Maps:
Insights from UNMAS Representative Lee Woodyear
Why Are the Maps Incomplete?
The question remains whether Armenia is deliberately refusing to provide accurate data or if there are other underlying reasons for the inaccuracy and incompleteness of the maps. To gain insight into this issue, Envoy interviewed Lee Woodyear, a representative from the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS).
UNMAS Involvement and Map Transfer Negotiations
Lee Woodyear explained that after the end of the conflict, UNMAS actively participated in negotiations to facilitate the transfer of mine maps to Azerbaijan. The organization also conducted assessments of mined territories and recommended that the UN Development Program (UNDP) support Azerbaijan’s demining efforts.
Possible Causes of Map Inaccuracy
Woodyear emphasized several factors that could contribute to the inaccuracies of the maps. These include natural factors such as floods or landslides, as well as human factors, like intentional alterations or the inherent challenges soldiers face during wartime. “The human factor plays a key role in map accuracy. We always hope that the maps will be as accurate as possible, as this minimizes losses and speeds up the demining process,” said Woodyear.
Armenia Denies Withholding Mine Maps
To seek answers to Azerbaijan’s claims regarding comprehensive and accurate mine maps, we direct our inquiries to Armenia. In response to ENVOY’s inquiry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia asserts that it has provided all available minefield maps to Azerbaijan as a goodwill gesture and denies withholding any additional or more precise data. However, Azerbaijan contests this claim, stating that the maps received have proven to be only 25% accurate, making them largely ineffective for demining efforts.
Furthermore, Armenia criticizes Azerbaijan for allegedly politicizing the humanitarian issue of mine clearance and presenting a fragmented narrative regarding the causes of mine contamination. Armenia also claims that from 1994 to 2020, Azerbaijan rejected cooperation on humanitarian demining and hindered international efforts, including blocking OSCE-backed projects. However, this assertion overlooks the fact that Azerbaijan only regained full control of its occupied territories (Karabakh) after November 2020, making prior demining negotiations over these areas irrelevant.
Additionally, while Armenia cites the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decisions dismissing Azerbaijan’s claims regarding Armenia’s mine usage, these rulings do not dispute the existence of extensive mine contamination in Azerbaijani territories.
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