20 Azerbaijani civilians, 7 troops killed in mine blasts since Karabakh truce

BAKU, Azerbaijan

At least 20 Azerbaijani civilians and seven soldiers have been killed by land mines planted by Armenian forces since the two countries reached a truce in Nagorno-Karabakh last November.

At least 86 soldiers and 29 civilians have also been injured in land mine blasts, according to the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office.

During a 44-day conflict last year, which ended in a cease-fire on Nov. 10, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh that were occupied by Armenia for nearly three decades.

The cease-fire is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces were forced to withdraw from the region under the agreement.

*Writing by Sena Guler in Ankara​​​​​​