Category: Azer News

A wall of fire rising from the side of a hillside is not something most travellers expect to find in the middle of a landscape. Yet on the Absheron Peninsula, this extraordinary sight has been burning for generations.

The Yanardag State Historical, Cultural and Natural Reserve, located in Mammadli village, about 27 kilometres from Baku, is one of the region’s most distinctive natural and cultural landmarks. Its name literally means ‘burning mountain’, and its fame comes from the natural flames that emerge from the earth and continue to burn as underground gas reaches the surface.

The fire is not the result of a man-made source. Geological processes beneath Absheron allow natural gas to escape through cracks in the ground, where it catches fire and produces the flames that have become Yanardag’s defining feature. The peninsula was once known for many naturally burning sites, although a number of them disappeared as underground gas flows changed over time. The reserve notes that another nearby hill once burned for thousands of years before its flames eventually went out.

Natural fires have been part of the history of the Absheron Peninsula for centuries. Medieval sources recorded permanently burning fires around Baku and its surroundings, while the phenomenon became closely connected with fire-worshipping traditions.

Yanardag is particularly associated with Zoroastrianism and the ancient reverence for natural flames. The fire became part of the cultural image of the region and contributed to the long-standing association of Absheron with the ‘Land of Fire’. The reserve’s museum explores this history, including the relationship between natural fires, places of worship, Zoroastrianism and pyrolatry.

The flames have also attracted the attention of travellers over the centuries. The official history of the reserve notes that Marco Polo mentioned the burning fires during his travels around Baku and its surroundings.

What makes Yanardag particularly fascinating is that the fire is not an isolated attraction. It sits within a wider landscape containing traces of both natural forces and human history.

The reserve includes the Qirmaki Valley, an active mud volcano, sulfur springs, Ottoman trenches and a kurgan burial mound. Its territory also contains the ‘Wolf’s Den’ cave, ancient cemeteries and the Alidashi sacred site. Several of these locations can be visited with a guide.

The Qirmaki Valley provides a different view of Absheron’s landscape, while the mud volcano and sulfur springs reveal the geological activity beneath the peninsula. Together, these sites show why Yanardag is classified not simply as a historical monument but as a historical, cultural and natural reserve.

There is also a modern museum on the site. Opened in 2019, it presents the story of natural fires and places of worship in Azerbaijan, along with material related to Zoroastrianism and fire worship. The museum also uses video installations and three-dimensional models to make the subject more accessible to visitors.

Outside the museum, visitors can see the Cromlech stone collection, which includes stone objects of different shapes that were used in everyday life. The reserve also has an amphitheatre, café, workshop, children’s playground and visitor facilities.

Yanardag’s popularity is reflected in its visitor numbers. A total of 104,929 tourists visited the reserve during the first seven months of 2026. Foreign visitors made up the overwhelming majority, with 92,784 international visitors, while 12,145 Azerbaijani citizens visited during the same period. Tourists from India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Israel, China, Kazakhstan, Germany and Algeria were among the largest groups of foreign visitors.

The reserve recorded 8,241 free admissions during January-July 2026.

The growing international interest is easy to understand. Yanardag offers something unusual even by the standards of Azerbaijan’s rich collection of natural attractions: visitors can stand directly before a natural fire while also exploring the history and landscape that surround it.

For travellers interested in the region’s heritage, Yanardag can also be combined with a visit to the Ateshgah reserve. Combined tickets covering Yanardag and Ateshgah are available, while another option also includes the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex.

Yanardag was declared a State Historical, Cultural and Natural Reserve in 2007. Following a major reconstruction programme, the site reopened with new tourism infrastructure in 2019 and has since developed into an established visitor destination on the Absheron Peninsula.

It is easy to understand why visitors stop in front of it and simply watch. The flames move constantly, sometimes appearing almost still and at other moments rising and dancing across the dark rock. There is no stage, no special effect and no machinery behind the spectacle. The mountain itself is the source.

That is what gives Yanardag its lasting appeal. The landscape tells several stories at once of underground gas and geological change, of ancient beliefs and travellers from distant lands, of archaeological traces and a modern tourism destination.

And while much of the Absheron Peninsula has changed dramatically over the centuries, the fire at Yanardag continues to burn.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Enis Horozovic of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Center (BHMAC) said securing sustainable financing remains one of the biggest challenges facing mine action, despite significant progress in clearing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s mine-contaminated territory.

Asked about the need to shift from short-term, project-based donor financing toward more predictable, multi-year funding, Horozovic said Bosnia and Herzegovina has already cleared around 80 percent of its mine-contaminated land, but continues to face serious financial and equipment shortages.

‘BiH has managed to clear 80% of its land of mines. However, our main problem is financing. We have a lack of adequate demining equipment, and also when it comes to demining grants themselves, we have a problem,’ he said.

Horozovic noted that the changing priorities of international donors have further complicated the situation, with some donors shifting their attention toward other conflict-affected areas.

‘Lately, we have also had the departure of donors who were oriented towards Ukraine, Syria and some other areas, so we are left with our civil defense and armed forces. For this reason, BiH will probably have a slightly longer deadline when it comes to demining,’ he said.

Comparing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s experience with Azerbaijan’s mine action efforts, Horozovic praised Baku’s financial commitment and the development taking place in areas cleared of mines.

‘As for financing in Azerbaijan, I have seen that you really invest a lot of money and, thanks to that, you have extremely good results. I have seen especially with you that the areas that have been demined are developing fantastically. Large cities have been built, which is not the case in BiH,’ he said.

He noted that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, cleared areas are often agricultural land or forests that are not subsequently utilized to their full potential.

‘We clear agricultural land or forests, but they are not used adequately as they should be. And that is why we also lack funds,’ Horozovic said.

He also attributed some of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s difficulties to the country’s complex political structure, contrasting it with Azerbaijan’s ability to make decisions concerning mine action and post-conflict reconstruction.

‘BiH is a complicated country where politicians have a hard time making the right decisions and decisions that would be in the interest of our citizens, as is the case here with Azerbaijan,’ he added.

Regarding the role of technology and expertise in making demining more efficient, Horozovic highlighted Bosnia and Herzegovina’s adoption of a new information-based approach in 2014.

‘Since 2014, BiH has been using a new principle of demining, which is far more efficient, requires far less money and is carried out much faster compared to the traditional method of humanitarian demining that required every square centimeter of land to be examined,’ he said.

According to Horozovic, the approach relies heavily on gathering and analyzing information to identify areas that genuinely require clearance.

‘This principle is based on information. So, it is very important to collect appropriate information, records and data on mine accidents, based on which it is then determined that far less land needs to be demined compared to what was initially required,’ he said.

Germany will close Russia’s consulate in Bonn and terminate the lease of the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin after Berlin concluded that Russian state actors were behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the measures on Tuesday, saying the Russian consulate in Bonn would be closed on September 18. Germany will also cancel the lease for the Russian House in Berlin, a Russian cultural and scientific centre that German officials have previously accused of being linked to Russian intelligence activities.

The measures follow Germany’s formal attribution of the August 4 incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russian state actors. German authorities said an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at the airport and was successfully defused. Investigators also identified technical similarities between the device and equipment associated with previous Russian hybrid operations, according to German officials.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the German government had concluded that Russia was responsible for the attempted attack after assessing intelligence and investigative findings. Wadephul described the incident as part of a broader pattern of Russian hybrid activity in Europe.

‘This is not an isolated incident,’ German officials said, pointing to what they described as a wider campaign involving sabotage, disinformation, threats and other forms of destabilisation.

In addition to closing the Bonn consulate and Russian House, Berlin announced tighter entry controls for Russian nationals, increased pressure on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and support for additional European sanctions against Russian-linked individuals and organisations.

Russia has rejected Germany’s allegations and criticised Berlin’s response as an escalation. Moscow has said it will respond to what it described as anti-Russian measures.

The European Union and NATO have expressed solidarity with Germany over the incident, underlining the growing concern among Western governments over suspected Russian hybrid operations across Europe.

The decision marks a further deterioration in already strained relations between Berlin and Moscow and signals that Germany is prepared to impose diplomatic and economic costs in response to suspected Russian operations on German territory.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Tuesday that his country will be “more dominant in both qualitative and quantitative” terms “in the subsequent periods” of war, while proclaiming that Tehran has been able to rebuild its military capability to a greater extent than its adversary.

In a video address, the official reiterated that Iran does not “waste even an hour or a moment” in preparing its forces for a potential resumption of hostilities. “We have the field in our hands and have led the enemy to the conclusion that he cannot stop our missiles,” Ghalibaf declared.

On Monday, United States President Donald Trump threatened to restart military action against Iran, triggering fresh concerns about prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Duncan Norman said the international community has an important role to play in addressing Azerbaijan’s extensive landmine contamination, stressing that the United Kingdom will continue supporting mine clearance efforts.

Asked whether the international community is responding adequately to the humanitarian scale of Azerbaijan’s mine problem, he noted that the UK has supported the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) since 2020.

‘So the UK was the first country to support ANAMA back in 2020 and we continue to do so. There is, of course, an enormous amount to do, and it’s right that the international community plays a part in this,’ he said.

The ambassador stressed that the UK remains committed to working with Azerbaijani authorities on mine clearance until the problem is brought to an end.

‘The UK continues to work with the Azerbaijani authorities on mine clearance, and we will look to do that until this is ended. And unfortunately, of course, it takes a long time, but we’ve seen the impact that it has on people’s lives, and that’s something that I want to make sure that the UK plays its part in ending once and for all,’ Norman added.

Commenting on the prospects for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia and whether mine-related cooperation could serve as a confidence-building measure, the ambassador said London remains supportive of the ongoing peace process.

‘Absolutely, I think the peace process is going well, we’re very supportive of that,’ he said.

According to Mr.Norman, the continued presence of landmines serves as a reminder of the conflict’s legacy, making mine action an important component of efforts to move beyond the past.

‘But, of course, the mines are a constant reminder of the past, and what we all want to do is put the conflict behind us and look to move forward. And mine action work is an important part of that,’ the ambassador said.

Moshe Feiglin, the former Likud lawmaker who once described Adolf Hitler as an ‘unparalleled military genius,’ is set to return to Israel’s Knesset as part of an electoral alliance between his Zehut party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, according to ClashReport.

Under the emerging agreement, Feiglin is expected to occupy the second position on the joint list ahead of Israel’s October parliamentary election, potentially putting him in a strong position to return to parliament.

Feiglin, who served as a Likud Knesset member between 2013 and 2015, has long advocated a hardline approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has called for Israeli control and settlement of the Gaza Strip.

His political record has attracted particular attention because of remarks he made about Hitler in the 1990s. In 1995, Feiglin described Hitler as an ‘unparalleled military genius’ and said that the Nazi leader had lifted Germany ‘from a low to a fantastic physical and ideological status.’ Feiglin later maintained that describing Hitler as a military genius did not amount to support for his ideology.

Feiglin has also outlined a far-reaching position on the future of Gaza.

In 2024, he referred to Hitler while discussing the Gaza war and argued that the territory should be made ‘Hebrew,’ while calling for Israel to establish control over the Strip.

In a May 2025 appearance on Israel’s Channel 14, Feiglin said: ‘Every child in Gaza is the enemy… every baby in Gaza is the enemy,’ adding that ‘not a single Gazan child’ should remain there.

Feiglin has advocated the full Israeli conquest of Gaza, the establishment of Israeli settlements in the territory and the removal of its Palestinian civilian population.

His prospective return to the Knesset comes as Israel’s right-wing parties seek to consolidate their support ahead of the October election. The agreement with Religious Zionism could provide Feiglin’s Zehut with a route back into parliament after failing to secure representation in previous elections.

Feiglin’s potential return is expected to bring renewed public and political attention to his longstanding positions on Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also places his past statements and proposed policies back into the broader debate over Israel’s political direction and the future of Gaza.

Ukraine has called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to completely prohibit civilian aircraft from flying over Russian territory, arguing that the growing intensity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has created heightened risks for commercial aviation.

According to Ukraine’s Zerkalo Nedeli, cited by APA, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk made the appeal in a letter to ICAO, warning that the continued presence of civilian aircraft in Russian airspace could expose passengers and crews to significant dangers amid the escalation of aerial attacks.

‘Ukraine, exercising its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, is compelled to respond appropriately to Russia’s terrorist air attacks,’ Kalashnyk said in the letter.

‘Against the backdrop of the escalation provoked by the Russian Federation, we understand that the presence of civilian aircraft in the airspace of the Russian Federation may entail particularly high risks. This is an impartial warning regarding the aforementioned threat,’ he added.

The Ukrainian appeal comes shortly after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a similar warning to international airlines and aviation insurers, saying that the increasing scale of Ukrainian drone operations inside Russia could make the country’s airspace effectively unusable for civilian aviation.

In a September 1 address, Zelenskyy said Russian airspace was ‘becoming completely unsafe’ and urged airlines, insurers and operators using major Russian airports to take the risks into account.

‘Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such – not a single civilian aircraft. There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account,’ Zelenskyy said. He added that Russian airspace would ‘effectively be closing’ as a consequence of the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy’s warning was directed particularly at airlines that continue to use Russian airspace, including carriers operating through Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major Russian destinations. While many Western airlines have avoided Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, carriers from several Asian and Middle Eastern countries continue to use routes through Russia, partly because they can offer shorter and more fuel-efficient connections.

The aviation risks have become more prominent as Ukraine has expanded its long-range drone operations against targets inside Russia. Russian airports, including those serving Moscow, have experienced temporary disruptions during periods of intensified Ukrainian drone activity, while Russian air defenses have also been operating against incoming threats.

Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian civilian aviation, meanwhile, has continued operating, although parts of the country’s airspace have been restricted and airports have periodically faced disruptions linked to the war.

‘Humanitarian demining stands at the very foundation of urban recovery and the creation of safe human settlements. Azerbaijan has faced this challenge in its most severe form,’ said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants of the 4th International Mine Action Conference themed ‘Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.’

‘As a result of nearly 30 years of occupation of its territories by Armenia, our country has become one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world,’ the head of state noted.

Belgian football club Union Saint-Gilloise will have to find an alternative venue for its Europa League home fixture after authorities in Leuven refused permission for the match to be played at the city’s stadium.

The Belgian league runner-up had planned to play all four of its European home matches in Leuven because its own stadium in Brussels does not meet UEFA requirements for European competitions.

Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani said Monday evening that the city would not authorize the match, citing public safety concerns, even if the stadium were to be closed to spectators.

Ridouani said the decision was consistent with Leuven’s previous position on hosting matches involving Israel, noting that the city has also opposed Belgium’s national teams playing against Israel in Leuven.

UEFA said Tuesday that it had been informed of the city’s position regarding the Europa League fixture.

‘It’s the duty of the host club to find an alternative venue,’ UEFA said, referring to Union Saint-Gilloise’s responsibility to arrange another stadium. The European football governing body added that the replacement venue would be announced ‘in the coming days.’

The development comes against the backdrop of UEFA’s security arrangements following the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023. Since then, Israeli clubs and national teams have been required to play their European home fixtures at neutral venues.

Hapoel Beer-Sheva, for example, played its home matches in Hungary and Romania during this season’s Champions League qualifying rounds.

However, the relocation of an Israeli team’s away fixture because of a host city’s position is considered unusual.

Union Saint-Gilloise must now secure a venue that meets UEFA standards and is approved to host the Europa League fixture.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Mark Connelly, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Cyprus at the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), highlighted the importance of mine risk education in emergency situations and said funding remains a major challenge for mine action programmes worldwide.

Asked about potential communication challenges with civilians in emergency situations and how the UN works to ensure people are aware of mine and explosive ordnance risks, Connelly said risk education is an essential component of early mine action responses.

‘Because we arrive in an emergency situation early on in the situation, we have been dealing with that in many, many programs in many countries. And so we’re very aware that risk education is a very vital part early on in the situation,’ he said.

According to Connelly, UNMAS invests significant effort in developing risk education materials and tailoring them to different groups within affected communities.

‘We spend a lot of time developing risk education material, ensuring that we’re able to target the many audiences that we may find,’ he said.

Connelly also pointed to an institutional challenge facing mine action programmes in countries affected by emergencies, noting that there is not always a government body responsible for mine clearance.

‘The issues that we have predominantly are that often many of the countries that we work in, there isn’t necessarily a government or a department that is in charge of mine clearance. And so the UN takes on that de facto role,’ he said.

In such circumstances, he explained, the UN must identify the relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish priorities and determine where clearance operations should be concentrated.

‘And so then we have to try and work out who is going to be the agencies, the people that we need to talk to in order to work out what the priorities are and where the clearance needs to focus,’ Connelly added.

Asked what form of international support would make the greatest difference to mine action at present – funding, equipment, expertise or technology – Connelly said financing is a challenge across the sector.

‘The funding is an issue in every country at the moment. I mean, that is a global issue because there are many, many issues going on globally around the world,’ he said.

At the same time, Connelly stressed that financial support is not the only challenge, pointing to the technical demands and time required to train personnel capable of conducting mine clearance safely.

‘In addition to that, as you say, we have technical issues of the time it takes to train people up to conduct clearance. So we have many issues going on around the world,’ he concluded.