Azerbaijan Lost 37 Military Men, Armenia Lost 45 in 2018

Baku / 04.01.18 / Turan: In 2018, the loss of the security and defense sector of Azerbaijan amounted to at least 37 servicemen, the Caspian Defense Studies Institute (CDSI) said.

Six were killed in combat conditions, and the remaining 31 were not combat losses.

The losses of the Armenian Armed Forces, according to the same source, were 45 military. Seven died in combat conditions, and 38 were not combat losses.

CDSI has been operating in Germany since February 2015. One of its founders was Jasur Sumerinli, who headed the Doctrine center for journalistic military research before his departure from Azerbaijan in September 2014. Its statistics are based on official reports of the Ministry of Defense, information of local authorities, media materials and information from social networks on the Internet.

According to the report, six servicemen were killed on the front line as a result of the shooting by the Armenian Armed Forces. As for non-combat casualties, 5 soldiers died from diseases, 4 - from accidents, 8 - under unclear circumstances, 4 - from shots of their fellow servicemen, 6 died in car accidents, 2 were blown up by mines, and 2 others committed suicide.

Three of the dead were extra soldiers, 25 were conscripts, 4 were ensigns, and 5 were officers.

As noted by CDSI, in 20 of the 32 deaths the Ministry of Defense did not spread any official messages.

In addition, 21 soldiers were injured in 2018.

Three civilians were seriously injured after being blown up by mines and one was wounded by a fire opened by the Armenian side.

In the previous year, the loss of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan amounted to 59 people.

"Despite the sharp decline in losses compared with 2017, the large number of non-combat losses is shocking," the commentary to the report says.

"Neither the press nor various groups of society can discuss the problems of the army. Every year the situation becomes more and more complicated. The Defense Ministry often does not respond to reports in the media and social networks about deaths in the army," Sumerinli says.

Without serious reforms, strengthening the social security of the military and a decisive fight against corruption in the army, fundamental changes cannot be achieved," the report says.-06D-