Your trusted source

Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA21) on November 3 sent a letter along with 100 members of Congress urging the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to give critical funding for the removal of explosive hazards in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).

The recent attacks against Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan and Turkey have resulted in high levels of explosive contamination including rockets, missiles, artillery projectiles, and cluster munitions being used in the region. This has displaced thousands of innocent people and left those that remain in their towns to deal with the unexploded ordnance left behind by the attacks, including highly dangerous cluster munitions covered in red ribbons that are especially attractive to children. 

US aid is urgently needed to combat this crisis by funding emergency explosive ordnance mapping and disposal, increasing risk education, and supporting data management that will protect civilians and support decision-making for humanitarian organizations providing relief in the region. 

“The ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is a humanitarian crisis that needs immediate international attention. In the same breath, it is crucial the US maintain funding for humanitarian demining in the region. We should not have to fight tooth and nail for peace and basic human rights. I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in highlighting this need to USAID,” said Rep. Cox. 

In the letter, the members wrote:

“Given the potential to protect civilian lives and contribute to efforts to stabilize Nagorno Karabakh, we strongly urge USAID to invest in humanitarian demining and unexploded ordnance removal activities and to provide additional humanitarian aid to help those in the conflict zone.”