Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan demanded to withdraw Armenian troops from Karabakh

Baku/07.03.23/Turan: The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry demanded to withdraw the Armenian troops from Karabakh. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani army will be forced to disarm and neutralize them.

On the evening of March 6, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a statement expressing regret over the "distortion of facts" in the newsletter of the Russian military department (https://mil.ru/russian_peacekeeping_forces/bulletins/more.htm?id=12456809@egNews ) and "spreading false information about an armed incident" that occurred yesterday (March 5) on the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road.

"We inform you that on March 5, on the basis of operational information, units of the Azerbaijani army attempted to stop and check a vehicle of Armenian military units engaged in illegal military transportation from Armenia. When approaching the car, Azerbaijani servicemen were fired from automatic weapons by members of the Armenian armed group in the car. As a result, two Azerbaijani servicemen were killed and one was wounded. Three members of the illegal Armenian group were killed and another was wounded by return fire. And to present these servicemen, fully equipped with weapons and ammunition, as police officers carrying a "passport and visa" service is nothing but hypocrisy (such statements were made by representatives of the Karabakh separatists and Armenia - note. Turan)," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry further said in a statement.

The information about the provision of first aid and evacuation of Azerbaijani servicemen injured as a result of the incident by representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent is also out of touch with reality. The evacuation of the bodies of the dead and wounded was carried out by the Azerbaijani military themselves, the press release further says.

"Contrary to the provisions of the trilateral statement (dated November 10, 2020), Armenia continues to supply weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment to illegal Armenian armed formations in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, and also conducts personnel rotation. In order to immediately prevent such unacceptable phenomena, the Russian peacekeeping contingent must fulfill its duties," the message continues.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of continuing the policy of mine terrorism, the victims of which are civilians and the military of Azerbaijan.

The latest case of the death of Azerbaijani citizens from mines was the explosion of the Azerbaijani military on March 4.

In response to such actions by Armenia and illegal Armenian military formations in August 2022, Azerbaijan has already conducted a military operation "Retaliation" after an Azerbaijani soldier was killed, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry recalled.

"We warn you once again that the transportation of military cargo by Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, the dispatch and rotation of personnel must be stopped and the Armenian troops completely withdrawn from the territory of our country. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani side will be forced to take the necessary measures towards the disarmament and neutralization of illegal armed formations using all available capabilities. The events that have taken place and the continuation of illegal military transportation of Armenia to the sovereign territories of our country once again confirm the need to ensure the control regime on the Lachin road on the territory of Azerbaijan," the statement of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry concluded.-06D-