State Security Service, Defense Ministry make statement on Armenian armed groups’ provocation

After the ceasefire regime was declared in accordance with the tripartite declaration on complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities signed by the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the president of the Russian Federation and the prime minister of Armenia on November 10, 2020, some Armenian Armed Forces remained in the forest in the northwestern part of Hadrut settlement of Azerbaijan’s Khojavend district, Azerbaijani State Security Service and Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a joint statement today.

Citing the Armenian official structures, the Armenian media reported that the armed groups were lost in the forest. The Armenian side appealed to the command of the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation to take them out of that territory.

The Azerbaijani side ensured all the conditions for the withdrawal of the mentioned Armenian armed groups from the territory.

The servicemen of the Russian peacekeeping forces arrived in the area during difficult weather conditions and appealed to the Armenian armed groups in the forest through loudspeakers saying that necessary measures were taken to evacuate them from the area.

In general, the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation performed their duties responsibly and professionally to maintain the ceasefire regime and to evacuate the so-called "missing" Armenian servicemen.

These Armenian armed groups did not leave the territory, but created combat positions and committed acts of terror, sabotage against Azerbaijani civilians and servicemen in the area recently.

Thus, three servicemen of on the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense were killed and two servicemen were wounded as a result of the Armenians’ sudden attack on November 26, 2020 in Sur village of Azerbaijan’s Khojavend district, which was liberated from the Armenian occupation.

On December 8, one Azerbaijani serviceman was killed and an employee of Azerbaijan’s Azercell company was severely injured during the installation of communication lines and transmission equipment near Hadrut settlement in the same district.

Taking into account the abovementioned facts, the Azerbaijani State Security Service was forced to conduct an anti-terrorist operation in the district.

It is unacceptable for some Armenian officials and the Armenian media to make baseless allegations against the Russian peacekeeping forces and the Azerbaijani side in such case.

The Armenian side must ensure the implementation of the provisions of the tripartite declaration on complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities, support the maintenance of the ceasefire regime and peace, refrain from provocations through the remaining Armenian armed groups or the armed forces, deliberately aggravating the situation and using such cases for domestic political purposes.

Adhering to the provisions of the tripartite declaration on complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities, the Republic of Azerbaijan continues to make efforts to ensure peace in the region in close coordination and cooperation with the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation.