MFA: 'Illegal Armenian armed groups should be immediately removed from territories of Azerbaijan'

Illegal Armenian armed groups should be immediately removed from the territories of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release, Report informs.

The ministry highlighted another provocation by Armenia in the territories of Azerbaijan, where the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is temporarily stationed.

"As stated in the report of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the received operational information, the Armenian side, contrary to the provisions of the Tripartite Statement dated November 10, 2020, used the Khankandi-Khalfali-Turshsu dirt road to bring weapons, ammunition, mines and personnel to the Azerbaijani territories where the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is temporarily located.

As previously reported by Azerbaijan, Armenia did not stop its provocations even after the 44-day Patriotic War, which ended the 30-year occupation of our territories, did not entirely withdraw the Armenian armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan, and sent weapons, ammunition and mines manufactured in the Republic of Armenia in 2021 to the territories of Azerbaijan. The facts regading the placement of mines were demonstrated during the visit of the Türkiye-Russia Joint Monitoring Center to the region.

In order to verify and clarify the information received regarding the transportation of weapons and ammunition, personnel and mines via auxiliary roads that are an alternative to the Lachin road, on March 5, the operational unit of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan was sent to the area to check the vehicles transporting weapons, ammunition, personnel and mines from Armenia to Khankandi. Due to the fire from the opposite side, there are dead and injured among the servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The other party was silenced by the return fire launched by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Such acts of aggression and provocations demonstrate that Armenia has not abandoned its occupation policy against Azerbaijan, that Armenia's views on 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 necessity of applying border control between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In order to prevent such military provocations, the Azerbaijani side demands the implementation of the Tripartite Statement, an end to the transportation of illegal weapons and ammunition, personnel and mines from Armenia, and the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan.

All responsibility for the escalation of the situation in the region lies with the Armenian side," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.