HAK Specialists Conduct Mine Clearance Operations in 4 Regions of Armenia

Specialists from the "Humanitarian Mine Clearance and Expertise Center" have cleared 62,896 square meters in the Mayakovski community of Kotayk Province, Armenia, in 2020, officially handing over the land to local self-government authorities. Following the incidents in July, our deminers discovered and neutralized unexploded shells and ammunition in the villages of Chinari and Khoratan in Tavush Province, which had been fired at populated areas but did not detonate.

During the war, our employees worked in the regions of Vardenis, Mets Masrik, Sotk, and in the communities of Arzvahanik and Davit Bek in Syunik Province to identify and document unexploded ammunition used against civilians. The "Humanitarian Mine Clearance and Expertise Center" has also been active in the Syrian Arab Republic since February 8, 2019, on a humanitarian mission. Overall, from the first day of the mission until December 31, 2020, 319,820 square meters of mined areas were cleared, and 359 mines and explosive materials were identified.

A team of doctors, including surgeons, therapists, gynecologists, pediatricians, dentists, and neurologists, provided assistance to a total of 25,816 patients. In September, theoretical and practical training courses for humanitarian deminers going to Syria were held at the Ejmiatsin training center of the HAK, equipped with necessary educational materials for the course. Courses for deminers and medics are also planned from January 25 to February 25, 2021.

Our specialists cleared 3,850 square meters of mined territory from cluster submunitions in the community of Kornidzor in the Syunik Province, as identified by the "Mine Clearance and Utilization Fund". In December, demining operations and non-technical surveys for unexploded ammunition were conducted over an area of 30,000 square meters in the Davit Bek community of Kapan.

In August 2020, as part of a NATO-funded initiative executed by the Armenian Red Cross, a three-day training course was organized for Red Cross instructors and volunteers under the "Awareness Program on the Dangers of Explosive Remnants of War and Mines in the Republic of Armenia," teaching citizens safety behavior rules. Every year, HAK specialists raise awareness about safety behavior rules among approximately 10,000 people. This year, amid the global pandemic, we continued awareness-raising activities using all available virtual options.

Given that it is more important than ever during these times to be informed about what to do when encountering explosive remnants from the war, our specialists, in collaboration with the International Red Cross, have engaged in awareness activities with every citizen traveling from the bus station to Stepanakert, teaching them the rules of safe behavior. These efforts are ongoing. Our employees will continue to conduct operations to identify unexploded munitions, mark dangerous areas, clear them, and raise awareness in contaminated regions of Armenia this year.