Lori Residents Among Those Captured on November 16, One Identified by Photo

On November 16, due to Azerbaijani aggression along Armenia's eastern border, 31 servicemen were reported captured according to official sources. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that among the 24 individuals reported missing by the Ministry of Defense, it is highly likely that they have been captured.

Among the missing are residents of the Lori province. Specifically, two of them hail from the village of Debet and are contractual servicemen. Their relatives have been unable to obtain specific information from the relevant authorities for two full weeks regarding whether these servicemen are on the list of captives.

Factinfo contacted Ashot Ghazaryan, the mayor of Debet. He reported that one of the contractual servicemen was originally from Debet but lived in Vanadzor, while the other is a permanent resident of Debet. “From those born in Debet and living here, we have one casualty and one missing as of November 16. There is also one individual born in Debet, but living in Vanadzor, who is considered missing since Azerbaijan has not officially confirmed their captivity,” Ghazaryan explained.

Ghazaryan noted that one of the servicemen has been recognized in photos circulated by Azerbaijan, while the other has not been seen in any materials. “Both are contractual. One has been identified through photos, and the other has not been seen in any videos or pictures. The contractual serviceman living in Debet has a young child, a parent, and a wife. His work is their only source of income, and under these circumstances, how can they not need assistance? The provincial government is preparing to provide a one-time financial aid today,” he added.

He mentioned that both the mayor's office and the relatives have contacted the relevant authorities, and a response has been received indicating that everything is being done to confirm the captives. “The issue is very complicated, and I will not comment on it. From my community, both we and the relatives have reached out to the appropriate bodies, and there has been active interest from them concerning the confirmation of captives by Azerbaijan. Steps are being taken to return the captives. However, the results are not currently visible since we have no information about the captives confirmed by Azerbaijan, but work is ongoing,” Ghazaryan said.

He emphasized that as long as the fact of captivity has not been confirmed by Azerbaijan, the contractual servicemen remain classified as missing. In response to a note that the Prime Minister has stated that the 24 servicemen considered missing after the Azerbaijani aggression in Syunik on November 16 have been captured, Ghazaryan mentioned that the numbers were provided by the Prime Minister, and he can explain those figures. The mayor also informed that relatives of those with unknown fates have also visited the Ministry of Defense.