Two dead in landmine explosion in Azerbaijan

Two Azerbaijanis have died in a landmine explosion in the Aghdam District, near Nagorno-Karabkakh.

Israeli Hasanov, 24, and Amid Hasanov, 36, died after triggering an anti-personnel mine near the village of Yusifjanli on Thursday.

Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the two men’s deaths and said it was investigating the scene. They said the two men died while grazing cattle.

The Aghdam District came under Azerbaijani control after the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Since the 2020 ceasefire agreement, Baku has repeatedly accused Armenia of planting landmines and sponsoring their planting.

In late February, the International Court of Justice rejected Azerbaijan’s appeal to order Armenia to stop planting landmines or to sponsor their planting in ‘areas to which Azerbaijani civilians will return in Azerbaijan’s territory’.

According to Azerbaijan, 49 people, including military personnel and civilians, have died in landmine explosions since the end of the 44-day war, with another 234 injured.

Azerbaijan has several times exchanged Armenian prisoners of war for landmine maps, with the latest exchange taking place in October 2022.

Azerbaijani authorities have complained that the maps were inaccurate, a charge denied by Armenia.