14 people sustained varying degrees of injuries, says Artsakh Ombudsman

During my visit to the military hospital in Stepanakert, I became acquainted with the health condition of individuals injured as a result of the criminal actions carried out by Azerbaijan on March 25.

This statement was made by the Ombudsman of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan.

“Currently, according to verified information, 14 individuals have sustained varying degrees of injuries. The condition of 10 individuals is assessed as mild by doctors, 1 is in moderate condition, 1 is serious, and the condition of 2 individuals is critical. Conversations with the injured have revealed that almost all of the injuries were recorded due to the use of drones by the Azerbaijani armed forces,” he noted.

“Such actions against military personnel under conditions of a ceasefire must also be viewed as crimes and as gross violations of international humanitarian law, especially since it has become clear from conversations with the injured that some of them were deliberately targeted by drones at the moment they were trying to provide first aid to their wounded comrades. From this, we conclude that although the Azerbaijani side has the capability to observe with UAVs, they struck at a moment when humanitarian aid was being carried out by the military,” he added.

“During the systematic ethnic cleansing and genocidal actions being carried out by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, the defense forces of Artsakh are unconditionally implementing self-defense enshrined in international documents to ensure the right to life and existence of the people of Artsakh,” he concluded.