14 Azerbaijani killed in mine blasts since truce

BAKU

Mine explosions in the recently liberated Upper Karabakh have killed 14 Azerbaijanis since a truce agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia last November.

In a statement, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office said 14 Azerbaijanis, including five Azerbaijani soldiers, were killed by mines planted by the Armenian forces.

The statement said 52 soldiers and eight civilians were also injured in the explosions.

The office cautioned civilians from entering the liberated areas until the region is cleared of mines.

Liberation of Karabakh

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as an Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

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

Despite the Nov. 10 deal ending the conflict, the Armenian army several times violated the agreement and martyred several Azerbaijani soldiers and a civilian, as well as wounded few people, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.