21:12, 13 January 2021

Nagorno-Karabakh resident killed after mine explosion

A shell crater. Stepanakert, November 2020. Photo by Armine Martirosyan for the "Caucasian Knot"

A civilian was blown up by a mine during earth work excavation in the Martakert District, the Investigating Committee of Nagorno-Karabakh reported.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that tens of thousands of unexploded shells have been neutralized in the capital of Karabakh. Mine clearance in the conflict zone may take 20 years, the director of the Centre for Humanitarian Demining announces.

The Karabakh Mine Clearance Centre has called the clearance of Stepanakert and the surrounding area from explosive ordnances a priority task, only after the completion of which the full-scale work will begin in other regions.

According to the preliminary information, on January 12, a civilian was driving an excavator at the "Martakert Gardens" section. The man got burns in the mine explosion and died on the spot, the "Sputnik Armenia" reported.

During the escalation of the conflict, 60 civilians of Karabakh were killed, and 163 others were injured, Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan reported.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 13, 2021 at 03:46 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.