Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry has confirmed media reports saying that an Azerbaijani soldier has been captured by Armenian armed forces.

The ministry told AssA-Irada that it was investigating the capture of junior sergeant Mammadbaghir Akhundzada.

Shahin Sayilov, the spokesman for Azerbaijan's state body on prisoners of war and hostages, said there is no accurate information on whether the 22-year-old serviceman surrendered to the Armenian side or was captured, and investigation is underway.

Armenian media reported Tuesday that Akhundzada had been taken captive on the contact line of the two countries’ troops near a village of Azerbaijan’s Terter region.

The two South Caucasus republics fought a lengthy war in the early 1990s. About 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory has been under the occupation of Armenian armed forces since a fragile ceasefire was signed in 1994. Peace talks brokered by US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far, and clashes on the frontline continue.

This story is published by AzerNEWS Weekly under a project funded by the Foundation for State Assistance to the Development of the Media under the President of the Azerbaijan Republic.