Karabakh President admits "several dozen" soldiers taken captiveDecember 16, 2020 - 15:53 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Several dozen servicemen of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Defense Army have been captured by Azerbaijan near the village of Khtsaberd, Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan said Wednesday, December 16. The village was under the Armenian side's control until at least December 12. Video and photo evidence of Azerbaijani troops "disarming and capturing some 100 new Armenian prisoners of war" began emerging on social media on Tuesday. The Defense Army said Wednesday morning it has lost contact with its troops near the village of Khtsaberd and a neighboring town, Hin Tagher. Harutyunyan said Wednesday that the safe return of those missing should be a priority now. "Breaches of the trilateral statement from November 9 and violations of the contact line disrespect both the mediating efforts and the peacekeeping mandate undertaken by Russia," Harutyunyan said. "Alongside the military-political leadership of Armenia, we are working with the Russian side to prevent Azerbaijan's provocations, while the Defense Army is committed to its duties." 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 has returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Russia accuses West of preparing invasion of CSTO countries NATO is preparing an invasion of the CSTO countries, the number of provocations in the air is growing, Sergei Shoigu has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. U.S. “deeply troubled” by Azerbaijan's arrest of civil society members The United States is deeply troubled by the continued arrest of members of Azerbaijani civil society, Matthew Miller has said. |