BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. The Armenian side has once again committed a provocation, Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan said, Trend reports.
The ministry said that, operational information has been received on the transportation of military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from the Republic of Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed, along the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu dirt road.
“On the morning of March 5, in order to verify the information received, Azerbaijani Army units attempted to detain and inspect vehicles engaged in illegal military transportation. Fire was opened from the opposite side, and as a result of the shoot-out, there are dead and wounded on both sides,” the ministry said.
The Azerbaijani side informs the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that the implementation of the paragraphs of the trilateral statement must be ensured unconditionally and fully.
The ministry noted that the only road that can be used between the Karabakh Economic Region and the Republic of Armenia is the Lachin-Khankendi road. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry once again reminded the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that the transportation of military and other purposes on other routes is categorically unacceptable.
The ministry reminded that earlier as well, there were facts of transportation of ammunition and other military equipment, including mines, fuel, and manpower, from Armenia to the Karabakh Economic Region.
“The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly warned the international community about the transportation of mines along the mentioned route. In addition, we inform that in 2022, representatives of the Joint Turkish-Russian Monitoring Center were organized to visit this territory to inspect mines set up by the Armenian side and subsequently discovered,” said the statement.
“Today’s incident once again shows the need for Azerbaijan to create a checkpoint on the Lachin-Khankendi road. The fact that Armenia is carrying out military transportation to the Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan is a continuation of the aggression and terror policy of this country against Azerbaijan. The entire responsibility for the provocation lies with the military-political leadership of Armenia,” the ministry concluded.
Source: TREND News Agency