Russia distorts facts about armed incident on Khankendi-Khalfali-Tursu road - Azerbaijani MoD

"We regret to note that on March 6, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation distorted the facts and distributed in its bulletin false information about an armed incident that occurred yesterday on the Khankendi-Khalfali-Tursu road," the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan said, News.az reports.

"On March 5, based on operational data, an attempt was made to detain and inspect the vehicle of Armenian military formations engaged in illegal military transportation. While Azerbaijani serviceman were approaching the vehicle, the Armenian armed detachment opened fire from automatic weapons out of the car. As a result, two of Azerbaijani servicemen were killed and one was wounded. Three members of an illegal Armenian gang were killed and one wounded by return fire," the ministry said.

To present these servicemen, fully equipped with weapons and ammunition, as "passport and visa" police officers, is nothing but hypocrisy, the ministry noted.

As noted, the information disseminated about the provision of first aid by the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the evacuation of Azerbaijani servicemen injured as a result of the incident is not true. Evacuation of Azerbaijani martyrs and wounded was carried out by Azerbaijani servicemen.

"Contrary to the provisions of the trilateral statement, Armenia continues to supply weapons, ammunition, military supplies and other military equipment to illegal Armenian armed formations in the Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan, as well continues to carry out personnel rotation. In order to immediately prevent such unacceptable cases, the Russian peacekeeping contingent must fulfill its duties," the Azerbaijani MoD said.

The ministry stressed that the policy of mine terror carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijan continues to this day.

"Despite repeated warnings from Azerbaijani side, our civilians and military personnel are becoming victims of mines illegally imported and installed on the territory of Azerbaijan. Thus, as a result of a mine explosion that occurred on March 4 in the Karabakh Economic Region, another of our servicemen was injured. In 2021, the facts of the mass import of mines produced by Armenia along the Lachin road to the territory of Azerbaijan were established, and their establishment. A study visit to this territory was organized by representatives of the Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Center and military attaches," the ministry added.

In response to such actions of Armenia and illegal Armenian military formations and the death of our serviceman, the Azerbaijani army conducted a "Revenge" Operation in August 2022, the MoD said.

"We warn you once again that the transportation of military cargo by Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, the transfer and rotation of personnel of the Armenian armed forces must be stopped immediately and once and for all, and the Armenian troops must be completely withdrawn from the territory of our country. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani side will be forced to take absolutely necessary measures towards the disarmament and neutralization of illegal armed formations using all possibilities.

Such actions of Armenia are regarded as a continuation of military aggression.

The events that have taken place and the continuation of illegal military transportation from Armenia to the sovereign territories of our country once again confirm the need to ensure the control regime on the Lachin road located on the territory of Azerbaijan," the defense ministry concluded.

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