The process of clearing mines and unexploded ordnance in the city of Khankendi, as well as the Aghdara and Khojaly districts, represented one of the most challenging stages of the restoration efforts in the region.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, these remarks were made by Elchin Yusubov, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khankendi and the districts of Aghdara and Khojaly. He spoke during an event titled "Post-Conflict Urban Planning: Restoring Destroyed Identity and Rebuilding an Integrated Future," held at the Azerbaijan pavilion within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
The Special Representative provided specific data on the scale of the operations, noting that 1,456 hectares in Khankendi, 10,359 hectares in Aghdara, and 9,874 hectares in Khojaly have been successfully cleared of mines and unexploded military munitions. These efforts are a critical prerequisite for the safe return of internally displaced persons and the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects.
The World Urban Forum, established by the United Nations in 2001, is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. Azerbaijan's participation in WUF13 serves as a platform to share its unique experience in rebuilding "smart cities" and "smart villages" from scratch in the liberated Garabagh and East Zangezur regions. The demining process remains the primary obstacle to rapid reconstruction, as Azerbaijan is currently among the most landmine-contaminated countries in the world following decades of occupation.
