Mosque and Orthodox Church Being Built in Artsakh for Peacekeepers, Says David Babayan

A mosque and an Orthodox church are being constructed in the area of the Russian peacekeepers' base in Artsakh, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh, David Babayan, during an interview with 'Patsinfo.'

It has been noted that information circulated on social media today regarding the construction of a mosque in Artsakh. Babayan confirmed that the mosque is indeed being built, specifying that it is for the military personnel involved in peacekeeping who are Muslim.

"It is worth noting that such a practice also exists in the Armenian Army, as many military units in the Artsakh Defense Army had chapels. This is a tradition and should be viewed in this context," emphasized the Foreign Minister of Artsakh.

According to him, some forces are currently trying to exploit this issue to stir up anti-Russian sentiments. "Naturally, this is done for two reasons: either due to ignorance or mostly intentionally by those forces that are acting in favor of Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is not excluded that the provocation of anti-Russian sentiments is carried out under their direct or indirect guidance or coordination," the minister stated.

He suggested that the matter should be approached with a cool head. "It should be understood that there is no geopolitical bias here. Moreover, we have repeatedly stated that the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict is not religious in nature. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have tried multiple times to present the conflict in this light, involving Islamic structures in the process. We have always pointed out that there is no religious subtext in this conflict. Many Armenians live quite prosperously in Muslim countries, and any expressions of religious intolerance are not only contrary to our civilizational culture but are fundamentally unacceptable. This mosque is being built exclusively for Russian peacekeepers, along with the Orthodox church," concluded the Foreign Minister of Artsakh.