Situation Regarding Corpses on the Battlefield is Already Out of Control: Ministry of Environment

The Ministry of Environment has addressed a letter to the executive secretaries of environmental conventions, international organizations, and partners, drawing their attention to the humanitarian and environmental disaster risk resulting from the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression unleashed along the entire length of the contact line with Artsakh.

The situation regarding corpses on the battlefield is already out of control; surveillance devices have recorded how wild animals are devouring the bodies. Such a humanitarian disaster could lead to horrific human and environmental problems, including the spread of various dangerous infectious diseases through animals. These consequences will not be limited to the territories of Artsakh, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, but pose a threat to the entire region.

The impact on the region's biodiversity, recognized as one of the global biodiversity hotspots, is also devastating. Several species of plants and animals from this area are included in the Red Book of Armenia, and 4 species are listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. This area also serves as a habitat for rare and endangered species such as the Caucasian leopard, brown bear, bezoar goat, as well as the black and griffon vultures, among others.

We call on the international community to act decisively to condemn and stop the use of force against Artsakh, peaceful civilians, and vital infrastructure, in order to mitigate the existing humanitarian and environmental disasters in this region.