ANAMA launches demining operations near Baku
By Sabina Idayatova
The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) has launched demining operations in the area of future oil refinery complex in Garadagh district of Baku and a new gas terminal to be built in Sangachal area, ANAMA Chief Specialist for Operations Adil Aslanov said on September 23.
"The operations, which were launched on September 23, will cover an area of 240,000 square meters at Sangachal gas terminal and 800,000 square meters at Garadagh oil refinery," he said.
The demining operations are carried out by ANAMA`s special operations group, as well as sappers, specially trained dogs and two demining machines.
"ANAMA received an appeal to hold demining work in the area after a mine has been found the site of the gas terminal," Aslanov said. "There is more probability for finding a variety of ammunition here, as during the Soviet period the area was a training polygon of engineering and fortification services of the army."
Also, military unit and polygon of the Soviet army was located in the territory of the future refinery complex.
"Still there are closed positions, trenches and training grounds
in the area," he noted. "In the early 1990s the site of the
military units of the Soviet army were mined to prevent the local
population to capture them. While leaving Azerbaijan the army
scattered UXO all around, which resulted in problems of landmines
and UXO. Generally, there is a mine threat in the Baku areas where
military units and training grounds of the Soviet army have been
located."
ANAMA was established in 1998 under the State Commission for
Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of war affected territories.
Being responsible for planning and coordination, management and
monitoring of mine action related activities all over the country,
ANAMA is the executing agency in Azerbaijan Mine Action Programme,
the joint project of the Government of Azerbaijan and UNDP signed
on April 2, 1999.The Agency operates according to the Azerbaijan
National Strategic Plan and ANAMA Principles.
The main goal of the organization is to create a national mine action capacity capable of planning, coordinating and managing all mine/UXO related activities in the currently liberated areas, and enable it to expand into areas yet to be liberated.