4 yıl önce

Azerbaijan: Mine blast kills many in newly liberated region

Anti-tank mine left behind by retreating Armenians in Fuzuli region kills four people and wounds one, Azerbaijani authorities say.

AFP

Azerbaijan military sappers clear mines in the countryside outside the town of Fuzuli on November 26, 2020.

At least four people have been killed and one wounded when their car triggered an anti-tank mine in a region that was captured during recent fighting with Armenian forces.

The blast took place on Saturday in the Fuzuli region of Karabakh, Azerbaijani authorities said on Saturday.

"The mine was planted by the Armenian armed forces during their retreat," the general prosecutor's office said in a statement, adding that it was an anti-tank mine.

The statement called the incident a "new type of provocation" from Armenia.

The blast underlines the dangers Azerbaijanis face in trying to resettle the territories that were liberated or vacated by Armenian troops and settlers after a 44-day war in the region.

Karabakh conflict

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Four UN Security Council and two UN General Assembly resolutions have continued to demand the withdrawal of occupying Armenian forces.

When new clashes erupted on September 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating humanitarian ceasefire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the Armenian occupation.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered agreement on November 10 to end fighting and work towards a comprehensive solution.