Shorouk Express 
JABRAYIL, Azerbaijan, July 12. Members of the
globally renowned Most Traveled People (MTP) international travel
club concluded their tour of Karabakh and East Zangezur with a
visit to Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil, where they witnessed active mine
clearance operations in the village of Mehdili, Trend’s regional
correspondent
The group followed a route passing through Fuzuli, Khojavend,
Shusha, Khankendi, Khojaly, Aghdam, Kalbajar, Lachin, and Zangilan
and finally arrived in Jabrayil. In Mehdili, they visited areas
where demining efforts are underway, carried out by the Azerbaijan
National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).
Travelers were briefed on the extensive contamination of the
territory with mines during the occupation and informed that
numerous civilians had been killed or injured as a result of
lingering explosive hazards. They learned that both anti-tank and
anti-personnel mines, as well as mixed minefields, are prevalent in
the region, along with unexploded ordnance discovered during
clearance.
Officials noted that the majority of the anti-personnel mines
uncovered are of Armenian origin. The attendees were subsequently
acquainted with the triad of primary demining methodologies
employed in the region: mechanized clearance, manual excavation,
and canine-assisted operations conducted with specially trained
detection canines.
The group later observed a live detonation in which recovered
mines were neutralized.
The delegation, which includes travelers from 15 countries, is
headed by American Charles Veley, the founder of the MTP club.
Organizers noted that this journey forms part of a growing effort
to introduce the liberated territories through “dark tourism,”
providing a close-up view of the destruction and Azerbaijan’s
large-scale reconstruction work. Karabakh and East Zangezur have
been visited 13 times by international travelers in the last 4
years through the main international travel clubs. This latest
visit marks the 14th such delegation to the region.
The Jabrayil district is situated on the Karabakh Range and
Geyen Plain, southeast of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The
Armenian army took over the district on August 23, 1993. The
district sustained damage totaling 13.928 billion US dollars as a
result of the occupation. About 400 people, 13 of whom were
children, were slain in the Jabrayil district between 1988 and 1993
for their valiant resistance against the Armenian invaders. Up to
2,000 communities, tent camps, freight cars, and dorms were
established by IDPs from Jabrayil in 58 regions of the republic.
The city was liberated on October 4, 2020, by the Azerbaijani Armed
Forces. This victory followed the earlier liberation of villages in
the Jabrayil district, including Boyuk Marjanli and Nuzgar
villages.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News
Agency’s WhatsApp channel
