Four employees of Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry were killed as a truck hit a landmine planted by illegal Armenian armed detachments in the liberated Khojavand district of Azerbaijan.

The Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Service issued a joint statement in this regard, News.Az reports.

The Prosecutor General Office has launched a criminal case in connection with another terrorist act committed by illegal Armenian armed formations in Khojavand district against employees of the Interior Ministry.

As a result of the mine explosion, four employees of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry - Jamalzade Asim (born 1994), Shirinov Ramil (born 1987), Mahmudov Seymur (born 1991), Zamanov Khazar (born 1998) were killed.

The incident took place on September 19, at 04:30, when a "KAMAZ" vehicle traveling along the tunnel road in Kojavand's Tagaverd district and carrying interior ministry employees hit a mine laid by a sabotage group of illegal Armenian armed formations operating in Azerbaijani territory, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed.

The vehicle was heading in the direction of the site of the terrorist attack that earlier killed employees of the State Road Agency on the 58th kilometer of the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha road passing through the Khojavand district.

The State Security Service of Azerbaijan initiated a criminal case under articles 214.2.1, 214.2.2, 214.2.3 (terrorism committed by an organized group with the use of firearms, explosives and other means), 120.2.1, 120.2.3, 120.2.4, 120.2.7, 120.2.10, 120.2.11, 120.2. 12 (premeditated murder of two or more persons committed by an organized group in a generally dangerous manner on the grounds of ethnic hatred or enmity), 228.3 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying by an organized group of weapons, their component parts, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices) and others.

Joint investigative-operational measures are being carried out on the criminal case, additional information will be provided to the public about its progress.

Earlier, two Azerbaijani civilians were killed as a result of a mine explosion at the 58th kilometer of the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha road, laid by illegal Armenian armed groups.

News.Az