There are 17.636 million square meters of land in Armenia that must be cleared of unexploded ordnance according to Humanitarian Deming Center Public Relations Officer Karineh Hakhnazaryan.

Hakhnazaryan, at a press conference today in Yerevan, said that the Mining and Utilization Fund, in cooperation with the Armenian Red Cross, is carrying out an explosive ordnance disposal warfare program.

As part of the project, awareness classes are held almost every day in the provinces of Tavush, Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik and Syunik for schoolchildren, teachers and local residents.

Last year’s war in Artsakh, which reached the borders of Armenia and beyond, has exacerbated the situation.

Hakhnazaryan said that under an agreement signed with the Embassy of Japan, 40,000 people will be informed about the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance and an ambulance will be purchased allowing for first aid courses in the country’s border regions.