Armenia-planted mine blast in de-occupied Azerbaijani district seriously injures serviceman

By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani serviceman was injured in a landmine blast in the liberated Kalbajar District on the evening of July 26, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has reported.

The commander of an X military unit of the Defense Ministry, Vugar Isbandiyarov, was immediately hospitalized after the blast.

However, the ministry denied social media claims that several servicemen of the Azerbaijani army were injured in the explosion.

The ministry noted that those statements were wide off the mark.

"We inform you that the Ministry of Defense has provided official information about the serviceman V. Isbandiyarov, who was injured as a result of a mine explosion. We once again urge users of social networks not to replicate information that has not been officially confirmed," the ministry added.

Moreover, the Kalbajar military prosecutor's office said that the employees of the agency inspected the scene, appointed a forensic medical examination, and performed other procedural actions.

“The preliminary investigation established that Vugar Isbandiyarov, while on duty in the territory of the village of Jamilli, Kalbajar District, received serious bodily injuries as a result of an explosion on an anti-personnel mine. A criminal case was initiated on the case by the Military Prosecutor's Office of Kalbajar District under Article 29, 120.2.12 (premeditated murder, attempted murder based on national, racial, religious hatred) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Investigation continues," the prosecutor's office said.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation.

Previously, on June 12, Azerbaijan handed over 15 Armenian prisoners in exchange for a map detailing the location of 97,000 mines in formerly-occupied Aghdam.

On July 3, Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan maps of about 92,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines planted during the occupation of Fuzuli and Zangilan districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russian-brokered peace agreement on November 10, 2020, to end the 44-day fighting in Karabakh and work toward a comprehensive peace deal.