Map - Mineclearance

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History of minelaying

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Minelaying in Nagorno Karabakh, by both Azeri and pro-Karabakhi forces, took place during the 1992-1994 conflict. A combination of Anti-Personnel (AP), Anti-Tank (AT) and Anti-Group (AG) mines was used to protect positions and deny freedom of movement. Due to the fluid nature of the conflict certain areas of Nagorno Karabakh were mined several times by both sides. The mines laid were predominantly of Russian design and manufacture.

The problem

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In addition to landmines, both sides also used tanks, artillery and mortars in offensive operations which has resulted in a widespread Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) problem. The Azeri forces had significant air capability, which involved the use of cluster munition bombing. Cluster bomblets suffer a high failure rate which results in many partially armed cluster bomblets still requiring clearance today.

Throughout the conflict landmines, cluster munitions and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) were used, and all regions were affected. Many AT and AP mines were used in the areas where fighting occurred contaminating some 30 square kilometers. Most of the contaminated land was previously used for agriculture, namely to grow wheat and grapes. In addition, the area was heavily bombed, mainly by Azeri forces, throughout the conflict. The majority of the villages within the traditional borders of Nagorno Karabakh are contaminated with cluster bombs or conventional ERW. Some 180 square kilometers were contaminated by ERWs. Both mines and ERW inhibited access to agricultural land, pasture, safe drinking water and hampered the reoccupation of houses post war. All this has had a profound impact on socio-economic growth and on the day-to-day lives of the local population. Poor living conditions and poverty have pushed people to plow and cultivate areas that they know are dangerous and contain mines; this has led to a large number of accidents. It is believed that Nagorno Karabakh has one of the highest per capita human accident rates in the world.

The solution

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In 1995 and 1996 HALO conducted an 18-month long program in Nagorno Karabakh which established a mineclearance capacity for the de facto local authorities. This included a survey of the region and the equipping and training of deminers. The teams operated without assistance for three years, and while they successfully cleared hundreds of mines, their equipment had degraded and accurate records of clearance had not been kept for some time.

HALO returned to Nagorno Karabakh in 2000 to create the sole local capacity, providing equipment and training and establishing a Mine Action Center (MAC). The MAC collates information concerning mines, ERW and safe routes, and disseminates it to all stakeholders and other actors as requested, in particular NGOs and international humanitarian bodies operating in Nagorno Karabakh. Over the last eight years HALO’s program in Nagorno Karabakh has steadily expanded to its current number of 230 national staff. The policy in Nagorno Karabakh (as in all other countries in which HALO operates) is to build a substantial local capacity which can deal with the problem.

Since 2000, HALO Nagorno Karabakh has returned over 125 square kilometers of contaminated land to previously impacted communities, during which time over 50,000 landmines, cluster munitions and other items of unexploded ordnance were safely located and destroyed.

HALO conducts both manual and mechanical clearance of minefields in Nagorno Karabakh. Cluster strikes are cleared by HALO’s Battle Area Clearance (BAC) teams, while other items of UXO are cleared by HALO’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams. HALO’s program is complemented by Survey and Mines Risk Education teams. The program is managed by one expatriate, while all other senior management positions are filled by locally recruited and trained staff.

Requirement for continued clearance

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HALO is the only mineclearance organization operating in Nagorno Karabakh, and development, reconstruction, resettlement, and other humanitarian aid is dependent on the continuation of mineclearance. Continuation of mineclearance is also essential to reduce the number of accidents caused by mines and UXO. HALO believes that with a 50% expansion of the program, most mines and ERW will be cleared from Nagorno Karabakh, and the mine impact free status will be reached within the next five to six years. However, this is largely dependent on the availability and provision of funds by various donors.