Azerbaijan demands end to illegal transportation of ammunition, personnel and mines from Armenia to Karabakh – MFA (UPDATE)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. Azerbaijan demands
an end to illegal transportation of ammunition, personnel and mines
from Armenia to Karabakh, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry.

“According to the information of the Ministry of Defense of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the operational information
received, the Armenian side, contrary to the provisions of the
tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, continued to transport
weapons and ammunition, personnel and mines on the
Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road in the territory of Azerbaijan,
where Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed.

As the Azerbaijani side previously reported, Armenia did not
stop its provocations even after the second Karabakh war, which put
an end to the 30-year occupation of our territories, did not
completely withdraw the Armenian armed forces from the territories
of Azerbaijan, transported weapons, ammunition and mines to the
territory of Azerbaijan manufactured in Armenia in 202. The facts
of laying mines were also revealed during a visit to the region by
representatives of the Joint Turkish-Russian Monitoring Center.

In order to verify and clarify the information received about
the transportation of weapons and ammunition, personnel and mines
along auxiliary roads, which are an alternative to the Lachin road,
on March 5, an operational unit of the Armed Forces of the Republic
of Azerbaijan was sent to the territory to check vehicles
transporting weapons, ammunition, personnel and mines from Armenia
to Khankendi. Fire was opened from the opposite side, as a result,
the Azerbaijani Armed Forces suffered losses, there are wounded.
The opposite side was suppressed by return fire from our armed
forces.

Such acts of aggression and provocation demonstrate that Armenia
has not abandoned its occupation policy towards Azerbaijan, that
Armenia’s statements regarding the peace agenda are nothing but
hypocrisy, and that Armenia is not interested in establishing peace
and security in the region. These actions once again prove the need
to apply the border control regime between Azerbaijan and
Armenia.

In order to prevent such military provocations, the Azerbaijani
side demands the implementation of the tripartite statement, the
cessation of the illegal transportation of weapons and ammunition,
personnel and mines from Armenia, as well as the immediate
withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territories of
Azerbaijan.

All responsibility for the aggravation of the situation in the
region lies with the Armenian side,” the statement says.