Syrian Mercenary Tells BBC He Was Deceived Into Fighting Against Armenians in Azerbaijan

A Syrian mercenary, identified as Abdullah, has given an interview to BBC Arabic, admitting that he was offered a job in Azerbaijan but was unaware he was going to fight.

The source reports that the Syrian answered the journalist's questions hurriedly, as he was rushing to a military gathering with the Azerbaijani army.

Abdullah is one of hundreds of Syrian citizens aged between 17 and 30 who have been sent to the front lines to fight alongside Azerbaijani forces since last Wednesday. The source notes that their recruitment occurred with the knowledge of the Turkish army and allied forces in Syria.

Living in a state of economic crisis, Abdullah, like many others in northern Syria, is facing financial difficulties. He revealed that he accepted the job offer in Azerbaijan, which promised a monthly salary of $2,000, yet he had no idea what to expect there.

Abdullah mentioned that he somehow managed to obtain a phone and spoke with his family members, but he does not know if he will ever see them again.

It is worth recalling that on September 27, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched a large-scale attack in Artsakh, targeting even the civilian population. Artsakh's military has claimed to have shot down 7 enemy helicopters, 73 drones, and destroyed 151 units of armored equipment, primarily tanks, one aircraft, 82 vehicles, 10 armored personnel carriers, one 'TOS-1A' heavy flamethrower system, and multiple launch rocket systems of the 'Smerch' and 'Uragan' types. The enemy reportedly has over 790 fatalities, with 180 on the Karvachar front and more than 1900 wounded. Preliminary data indicates around 80 deaths on the Armenian side and about 200 wounded, with around 120 still undergoing treatment; the others have recovered and returned to service.

The Azerbaijani armed forces have also targeted military and civilian infrastructure in Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia. This has resulted in civilian casualties, with 1 person killed in the Vardenis region, 3 in Martakert, and 2 in the Martuni city (a grandmother and her grandchild).

A state of martial law was declared in Armenia and Artsakh on September 27.