Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

Increasing number of Armenian soldiers continue to fall victim of the aggressive policy of the government of this country. Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office has informed that 16 private and contract soldiers have died in the Armenian Armed Forces since the beginning of 2017.

Of the total deaths, eight occurred as a result of violating the ceasefire, two deaths were caused by murders, two soldiers died of accidents, one committed suicide, and another one died of health problems. Circumstances of another incident are not yet established.

The situation in the Armenian army units leave much to be desired. Soldiers of some Armenian units do not receive even the minimum of the necessary provision.

The soldiers are fed with poor-quality food, while unsanitary conditions prevail in military units; contagious diseases, especially the infectious ones are wide-spread there.

In addition to these terrible conditions, the Armenian army officers often abuse their soldiers, as well as steal and sell their clothes and food. There are also many deaths of Armenian soldiers in ‘mysterious’ circumstances.

Of the 16 deaths, four were recorded in Armenia itself, while 12 occurred in the occupied Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, where Armenian troops illegally remain for more than two decades.

The conflict between the two countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed its consent to come to the negotiating table with Armenia to solve the conflict by peaceful means, but Armenia continues to play for time in order to preserve the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh. Moreover, Armenia tries to provoke and sabotage the Azerbaijan Armed Forces on the contact line, but receives a strong rebuff.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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