“We note with regret that on March 6, the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defense distorted the facts and spread false information in its bulletin regarding the armed incident that occurred yesterday on the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turssu dirt road,” said the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense in a statement, APA reports.
“We inform that on March 5, an attempt was made, based on operational information, to stop and check the vehicle of Armenian military units carrying out illicit military transfers from Armenia by units of the Azerbaijan Army. Upon approaching the vehicle, our servicemen were fired at with automatic weapons by members of the Armenian armed group inside the vehicle, martyred two and injuring one.Three members of the illegal Armenian group were killed and one was wounded by the return fire. Presenting these fully armed military personnel as police officers performing “passport and visa” services is nothing short of hypocritical.
The information disseminated about Russian peacekeeping contingent representatives providing first aid and evacuation to our personnel injured in the incident does not reflect the truth. The evacuation of our martyrs and wounded soldiers from the area was carried out by our military personnel.
Contrary to the provisions of the tripartite declaration, Armenia continues to transfer weapons, ammunition, supplies and other military equipment to illegal Armenian armed groups in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, as well as personnel rotation. The Russian peacekeeping contingent should fulfill its duty immediately in order to prevent such unacceptable situations.
In particular, we note that the policy of mine terrorism carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijan is still being continued. Despite our repeated warnings, our civilians and military personnel become victims of illegally transported and buried mines on our territory. Thus, as a result of the March 4 mine explosion in the Karabakh economic region, one more of our military personnel was martyred. The facts of the mass transporting and burial of mines produced in Armenia in 2021 via the Lachin road to Azerbaijani territory were determined, and a fact-finding visit to that area was organized for representatives of the Türkiye-Russia joint monitoring center and military attachés.
The Azerbaijani Army carried out the “Revenge” operation in August 2022 in response to such activities by Armenia and illegal Armenian military units, as well as the martyrdom of our servicemen.
We warn once again that the transportation of military supplies by Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, as well as the transferring and rotation of personnel of the Armenian armed forces, should be immediately and permanently halted, and Armenian troops should be completely withdrawn from our country’s territory. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani side will be forced to take absolutely necessary steps toward disarming and neutralizing illegal armed forces, using all available means.
Such acts of Armenia are considered as continuation of military aggression.
The incidents that have occurred, as well as the continuation of illegal military supplies from Armenia to our country’s sovereign territories, highlight the importance of establishing a control regime on the Lachin road in Azerbaijani territory,” the Ministry noted.