Meghvadzor, Kashatagh Region, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006

Another minefield close to Meghvadzor, but this time being cleared. Again, the mines were anti-personnel. However, not as large as the minefield we were later to visit. Anyway, HALO Trust is based in Stepanakert, capital of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and employs 200 local staff and is headed by 1 expat Programme Manager. There are 5 Mine Clearance teams, 1 Mechanical Mine Clearance section, 4 Battle Area Clearance (BAC) teams, 2 General Survey teams and 1 Mine Risk Education Team.

[…] defensive minefields were laid by both Azeri and pro-Karabakhi forces. Moves in the front lines resulted in minefields and significant quantities of UXO being left in peaceful areas needed for agriculture. In many areas access to prime land is denied and the steady stream of casualties indicates the requirement for widespread mineclearance ahead of cultivation. Aid organisations in the region have had to restrict their operations due to fears of landmines on or just beside roads and the presence of unexploded ordnance in and around many villages.

Interestingly, because of the poor roads that are often dirt tracks traversing hills and mountains in the Kashatagh region, HALO Trust teams camp out in the field for five days a week. They can also only work in the region from April to November and when I was out with them from 6.00 am - 12.00 pm because of the heat of the afternoon sun. More photographs of HALO Trust and another minefield that blew my mind because of the huge number of mines in such a small area later.

Meghvadzor, Kashatagh Region, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006