International travelers visiting Azerbaijan’s Karabakh have emphasized the vital importance of ongoing demining efforts in enabling the safe return of displaced residents and restoring normal life to the region.
Members of the global travelers’ club NomadMania toured Jabrayil district on April 26 as part of their 13th organized visit to the formerly occupied areas, offering observations that highlight both the urgency and effectiveness of the demining process, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
Basanth Sadasivan, a traveler from the United States, underscored the significance of mine clearance in facilitating post-conflict recovery.
“Demining of territories is an important element of erasing a very negative part in the history of Azerbaijan,” he said. “Demining activities are very important for people to return here and live in safe conditions and be happy. It is very important that everyone here works together for a good future.”
Echoing these sentiments, fellow American traveler Devon Debany, a veteran with 21 years of military service, stressed the necessity of ensuring security for returning residents.
“The main priority now is to ensure the return of Azerbaijanis to these territories. They must feel safe, leave the past behind, and be able to build a better future,” he said, reflecting on the scale of devastation and the path toward healing.
British traveler Avi Rosenfeld expressed sorrow at witnessing the extent of landmine contamination across Azerbaijan’s liberated regions. “It is deeply disheartening to learn of and witness the extensive contamination of such vast areas by landmines,” he said, adding that Azerbaijani demining efforts deserve “high praise.”
“This is my first time being on mined territory. We saw areas where mines had been planted. I believe the Azerbaijani authorities are doing an excellent job in clearing the territories of mines,” the traveler remarked.
Similarly, Serbian traveler Eve Besser drew comparisons between Azerbaijan’s demining operations and those in Laos, a country similarly affected by explosive remnants of war. “I have already been to Laos, where there is also a problem with mines. But I think you are carrying out this process much faster,” he said, commending the professionalism and pace of the work.
By Vafa Guliyeva
Source: caliber.az
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