Azerbaijani soldier released from Armenian captivity: 'This state would not let us remain captive for a long time'

“This state would not let us remain captive for a long time. We are those who live for the motherland. We are ready to die and kill for the homeland,” Agshin Babirov, who was freed from Armenian captivity, told journalists, Repor informs.

On December 13, 2023, a mutual handover of servicemen took place at the section of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border passing through the Gazakh district. No incidents were recorded during the process. After the health conditions of the Armenian servicemen detained on the Azerbaijani side were checked by the International Committee of the Red Cross and deemed satisfactory, they were handed over according to the relevant agreement.

In April 2023, the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army, Agshin Babirov (born 2004) and Huseyn Akhundov (born 2003), disappeared due to limited visibility in adverse weather conditions on the territory of the Shahbuz region of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on the border with Armenia and were taken captive.

On December 7, following the talks between the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, an agreement was reached on taking tangible steps towards building confidence between the two countries. Driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Azerbaijan released 32 Armenian service members. In its turn, driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Armenia released 2 Azerbaijani military servicemen.