Azerbaijan Establishes Positions in Georgian Territory

Azerbaijan has repositioned its forces in a section along the border with Armenia, utilizing Georgian territories. According to reports from the Armenian news agency "Armenpress," analysts from the international FrontNews site have reached this conclusion after examining satellite images of the border intersection between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

The images reveal that one of the posts belonging to Azerbaijan's State Border Service is located on the Papakar (also known as Babakyar) hill. About a week ago, the Azerbaijan State Border Service reported that it had "captured new strategic heights," although the repositioning of their posts took place within Azerbaijani territory. Meanwhile, the Armenian armed forces have advanced their positions in the same area up to the delineated border indicated on maps.

This issue has also drawn the attention of Georgian analysts, who have noted that the heights occupied by Azerbaijani forces in that area have long been located within Georgian territory, and this action constitutes a severe violation of Georgian state borders by Azerbaijan.

Moreover, it is significant that the Georgian border has not only been violated in this area; Azerbaijan has positioned forces even towards the territories adjacent to the "Red Bridge" customs checkpoint. The mentioned trenches and the Papakar height oversee Georgian territories and have no connection to Armenian lands, as they are situated quite far away.

It is particularly interesting that Azerbaijan established new positions in this region in 2008-2009, when Georgia was reeling from the consequences of the South Ossetia conflict and was considerably weakened.

Simultaneously, Azerbaijan is pursuing a rather tough policy toward Georgia concerning various territorial disputes. Georgia and Azerbaijan are currently attempting to clarify the division of territories occupied by the David Gareja monastery complex. Azerbaijan is trying to claim monasteries symbolizing Georgian cultural heritage as "Albanian." In August 2019, despite ongoing negotiations by delimitation commissions, Azerbaijan deployed a new post within the territory of Georgian monasteries.

As mentioned earlier, Azerbaijan is not only advancing its territorial claims here but is also trying to present false and pseudo-scientific "justifications" that the 6th-century Georgian complex is an "Albanian cultural monument." Judging by the aggressive statements from the Azerbaijani side, they do not intend to make concessions. For example, the president of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Yakub Mahmudov, asserts that all of Eastern Georgia is "historical Azerbaijani territory," and that Tbilisi is an "ancient Azerbaijani city."