Armenian Foreign Ministry on the Placement of Foreign Armed Militants by Turkey and Azerbaijan in the Region

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement regarding the placement of foreign armed militants in the region by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

"On November 1, during combat operations, the Armed Forces of Artsakh captured a second foreign militant involved in military operations against Artsakh on behalf of Azerbaijan. The individual identified himself as Yusuf Alaabet Al Haji, a resident of the village of Ziyadiya in the Jisr al-Shughur district of Idlib province, Syria. It should be noted that on October 30, the Armed Forces of Artsakh had captured another militant who identified himself as Mihreb Muhammad Al Shehayer from the city of Hama, Syria.

The Armenian side has repeatedly raised concerns about Turkey's recruitment, transportation, and deployment of foreign armed militants and jihadists from various 'hot spots' in the Middle East, particularly from regions under its control in Syria and Libya, to perpetrate atrocities against the people of Artsakh. This fact is now supported not only by the special services of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group and many of our partners in the international community but also by the direct testimonies of the militants themselves.

In their testimonies, these militants have provided detailed information regarding their recruitment process, expected monthly payments for fighting against 'infidels,' and the 'rewards' for beheading each 'infidel,' as well as the terrorist plots they intend to carry out. The transfer of jihadists to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone reveals the Turkish-Azerbaijani leadership's aim to give a religious dimension to the conflict.

This represents a completely new manifestation of the spread of terrorism, with foreign armed militants and jihadists from the Middle East being deployed in a conflict zone within the OSCE area, posing a serious threat to international and regional security and stability.

Armenia will continue to take consistent steps in the fight against international terrorism, cooperating with all interested partners.