...

Armenia transfers Azerbaijani soldiers’ bodies (UPDATE)

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 6 November 2010 16:19 (UTC +04:00)
Armenia transferred dead bodies of the Azerbaijani soldiers Mubariz Ibrahimov and Farid Ahmadov to the Azerbaijani side today.
Armenia transfers Azerbaijani soldiers’ bodies (UPDATE)

Editor's Note: the ICRC's information added in 4, 5,6, 7 paragraphs

Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.7 / Trend, K.Zarbaliyeva /

Armenia transferred dead bodies of the Azerbaijani soldiers Mubariz Ibrahimov and Farid Ahmadov to the Azerbaijani side today.

The soldiers' bodies transferred in the direction of the Agdam region at about 4:00 p.m. on the contact line of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, (ICRC), the ICRC Baku office told Trend.

In turn, Azerbaijan transferred the 81-year-old Armenian citizen Gavrush Rustamyan's dead body to the Armenian side.

The ICRC said that the bodies of two Azerbaijani servicemen and a civilian from Magadis village situated in Nagorno-Karabakh were transferred today in Bash Qarvand village situated near the contact line of Agdam region.

"Although returning of the bodies is a sad case, their families are able to bury them and to organize a morning ceremony," head of the ICRC Barda office Elen Plenevo said.

"We are pleased by the recent intensification of the repatriation process in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, operating as a neutral mediator, transferred a civilian, taken hostage by Armenia, and an Armenian citizen, died in Baku this October, in accordance with the agreement reached by all involved parties Nov.4.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been operating on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since 1992 in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Azerbaijani Armed Forces ensign Ibrahimov Mubariz showed heroism in an armed incident at the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops June 18, killing four and wounding four Armenian servicemen. The Armenian side earlier refused to return the Azerbaijani soldier's dead body.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to confer posthumous title of "National Hero" upon Ibrahimov July 22.

Sept.4, Armenian soldiers killed the Azerbaijani officer Farid Ahmadov.

Astrakhan hosted the trilateral meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia - Ilham Aliyev, Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan Oct.27. The parties have signed a declaration, which envisages the return of prisoners of war and takes a humanitarian nature with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OSCE Minsk Group.

Azerbaijan transferred to Armenia the body of Manvel Saribekyan, who earlier committed suicide, while Armenia liberated Azerbaijani citizen Eldar Tagiyev from captivity.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

Latest

Latest