STEPANAKERT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd January, 2021) Eighty percent of the territory of Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, has been cleared of unexploded ordnance, the head of the Center for Humanitarian Demining of Karabakh, Samvel Mesropyan, told Sputnik on Sunday.
"Stepanakert has been cleared of unexploded ordnance by 80 percent. The danger for civilians has decreased," Mesropyan said.
The official added that approximately 30,000 to 40,000 unexploded munition had been found in Stepanakert alone and that the situation with leftover ordnance was very serious.
"We will have our work cut out for us for 15-20 years, maybe more," Mesropyan stated.
The head noted that after Russian peacekeeping forces had entered the region, the center had been working together with Russian specialists.
"Our group, the Center for Humanitarian Demining of Karabakh, has been active since August 1, 2020, and throughout the entire war. Since September 27, we have found and eliminated about 80,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance of various types," Mesropyan mentioned.
In November, Yerevan and Baku agreed to a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, putting an end to the six-week war over the disputed area. The agreement resulted in the loss of most territories controlled by the self-proclaimed republic and stipulated deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region.
