Armenia's Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has visited the National Burn Center and obtained new evidence of the use of weapons of mass destruction containing chemical elements (possibly white phosphorus munitions) by the Azerbaijani armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Open-source evidence has proved that Azerbaijan used phosphorus and incendiary munitions to start large forest fires in Armenian-controlled areas in Karabakh. Videos of the use of white phosphorous started appearing on social media outlets in early November.

Doctors now report that injuries and swelling (especially of upper limbs) due to the use of chemical weapons, persist for a long time. Burn wounds are deep in some places, have charred edges, bleed at times and are difficult to treat. According to doctors, burns of varying severity in most people differed from those they encountered in their practice.

Tatoyan also reported a low level of calcium and hemoglobin in the blood (hypocalcemia), as well as an increase in the size of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly).

"Doctors says substances released as a result of the use of such weapons may enter the body through the respiratory tract, causing damage to the organs, which can lead to long-term health problems or even death," Tatoyan said Saturday, December 5.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side is returning all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.