BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. An explosion of a landmine in Azerbaijan's Khojavand once again shows that Armenia's main goal is to engage in terrorism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said, Trend reports.
"On September 19, 2023, an Azerbaijani truck exploded on an anti-tank mine planted by a sabotage group of Armenian armed forces [which haven't been withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war] on the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed [under the trilateral statement]. As a result of the terrorist act, two civilians were killed," the ministry noted.
"On the same day, four employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who went to the site of the terrorist attack blew up on a landmine on a newly built tunnel road in the territory of Taghavard village in Khojavand district. We express deepest condolences to families and relatives of the terrorist attacks' victims," the ministry said.
Thus, according to the ministry, the total number of mine victims, from the 2020 second Karabakh war to the present day, has reached 314 people, of which 61 died.
"The explosion of a landmine that occurred in the territory of the Khojavand district once again proves that Armenia and the separatist regime it created, which have grossly violated point 4 of the trilateral statement by not withdrawing Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territory, continue their military activities and mine-laying, with the main goal of escalating military tensions in the region and engaging in terrorist activities," the ministry said.
"Moreover, the aim of these provocations is to create obstacles to the large-scale reconstruction and construction work carried out in the post-Karabakh conflict period, to the civilian population residing in these territories, and to the return of displaced persons to peacefully live on their lands," the ministry also noted.
"In the name of ensuring peace and security in the region, military provocations and terrorist acts by Armenia and the separatist regime it created must be strongly condemned and prevented," added the ministry.
As a result of today's terrorist acts, employees of the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads - Samir Sadikhov, and Farhad Guliyev, as well as employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Asim Jamalzade, Ramil Shirinov, Seymur Mahmudov, and Khazar Zamanov have died.