Negotiations Ongoing for the Return of Shepherd's Sheep after His Release from Captivity

Yesterday, the Azerbaijani side returned the shepherd who was captured from the Tegh community, but his sheep are still with the Azerbaijanis. This was stated to 24News by the former administrative head of the Aravus settlement in Tegh community, Argam Hovsepyan.

“We called the Russians with the former community leader [Nerses Shadunts], and I met with the staff of the Red Cross office in Goris. The Russians negotiated and called Stepanakert to the commander of the peacekeeping forces; they brought the shepherd back through their mediation, but the sheep remained with them,” Hovsepyan said. According to him, the Azerbaijanis have promised to return the sheep. The shepherd was returned last night around 21:00.

Tegh community head Davit Ghulumts has told the media that negotiations are already underway for the return of the sheep. Commenting on the behavior of the Azerbaijanis towards the shepherd, Ghulumts stated, “They did nothing, there is nothing to say about the shepherd, they treated him normally, even offered him tea. There were no beatings, and he has no bruises on his body.”

The mayor of Tegh said they had met with the Russian side. A representative of the Russian peacekeepers went to the Azerbaijani territory. “We went there, met with them, we went up to our border, the commander of the Russian forces went into Azerbaijani territory,” concluded Davit Ghulumts.

It is noteworthy that yesterday, Surik Matevosyan, a shepherd born in 1969, was herding his sheep in the pasture located at the intersection of Tegh, Aravus, and Khndzoresk villages of Tegh community. Around 15:30, four armed Azerbaijani servicemen, seeing him, descended about 150 meters from their positions, shouting at him, forcibly pulled him towards their side in the direction of Tsitsernavank, taking 400-450 sheep along with them. The shepherd was returned yesterday through the mediation of the Russian side.