Armenia committed a grave crime by carrying out massive destruction in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan and heavily planting landmines in these lands, political scientist Javid Valiyev told News.Az. 

The political scientist noted that Armenia had two reasons for committing this crime.

“First of all, these territories had never belonged to Armenia. Secondly, Armenia had pursued a goal to impede the return [of former Azerbaijani IDPs to their territories], he said. 

The calculations conducted revealed that Armenia buried nearly one million landmines in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Valiyev said, adding that “if the cost of planting a landmine is estimated at $3-$5, its neutralization costs between $150 and $250.”

The political scientist emphasized that 75 percent of the landmine maps provided by Armenia on Azerbaijan’s pressure after the Second Karabakh War are inaccurate.

“Landmines continue to pose a threat to civilians living in these territories and Azerbaijani military servicemen. Armenia is taking such steps deliberately to delay the return of former Azerbaijani IDPs,” he added. 

Valiyev noted that since the end of the Second Karabakh War in 2020, 288 Azerbaijanis have become victims of landmine blasts, including 50 killed. 

“The states and international organizations, which make noise about Armenians living in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, keep turning a blind eye to these facts. Why don’t they put pressure on Armenia? There is no pressure on Armenia at the international level,” the political scientist concluded.

News.Az