Azerbaijanis are Building a Military Base Near Shurnukh, Says Village Head

Azerbaijani military personnel continue their engineering activities in the area of Shurnukh village in the Syunik province. This information was shared with "Factinfo" by the village head, Hakob Arshakyan. He could not specify what is being constructed, but it is clear that the Azerbaijanis are building "boxes" and establishing positions on the heights.

"They are active in engineering works, but I do not know what they are building. There is a height under their control right in front of the village. They have set up a post there again. In areas they have taken control of within the village, they are constructing large boxes; it seems to me they are preparing a place for equipment to be stationed," he said.

Arshakyan also noted the active movements of the Azerbaijani side. According to him, a column of Azerbaijani vehicles enters the territory near the village of Shurnukh every night. The column consists of 3 to 8 vehicles.

"Every night, convoys of vehicles are moving from the Kubatlu area towards the neighboring village, which is situated in a valley and cannot be viewed from anywhere. I think they are setting up a base, but I don't know what they are transporting—people, equipment, or something else. The columns arrive with their lights on. We do not see them on their way back," he mentioned.

When asked whether Russian peacekeepers escort Azerbaijani convoys, Arshakyan explained that they only accompany movements from post to post.

"They do not approach on the road. There is a village three kilometers away from us where they gather. If they move from one post to another, they must go with a Russian escort," he added.

Arshakyan observes that residents who monitor Azerbaijani construction activities seem to have become accustomed to the situation. "The villagers say, ‘When they see with their eyes, they get used to it.’ One says, ‘The hat doesn’t suit you,’ to which the response is, ‘I’ll wear it until it does.’ The livestock are almost gone, and they are waiting to harvest their crops and gardens," he noted.

A number of community heads from various provinces critical of the government's policies, particularly regarding security issues, have suggested resignations. When asked by "Factinfo" whether he has received a such resignation proposal, the village head stated that there hasn’t been any such suggestion here. "There is nothing of this sort; no such proposal has been made. Whatever proposals are made in our province, they come forward, spread them out on the asphalt, take them away, and are even suggesting something else?" he said.

It should be noted that in the border areas of Syunik, Azerbaijanis are strengthening their positions actively, while local communities have been left without leaders, as the mayors of Meghri, Sisian, Goris, Kajaran, and Vorotan are currently detained.