Who Can Imagine Weapons Being Transported in a Small Passenger Car That Barely Fits Passengers? Beglaryan

The former state minister of the Republic of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan, has responded through a post on his social media accounts to the Azerbaijani armed forces' diversionary operation on March 5, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of three police officers.

Beglaryan emphasized that the falsifications of the Azerbaijani authorities are so simplistic and baseless that even a child can understand their lies regarding the assault on the Artsakh police officers.

“1. The police officers had left Stepanakert to carry out a shift change at their checkpoint in the Shushi region, while the Azerbaijani side claims that they were traveling from Armenia to Artsakh. The direction of the vehicle’s movement is clearly visible in the video published by the police. 2. Therefore, they could not have transported weapons from Armenia to Artsakh if they were moving in the opposite direction. 3. The video also shows Azerbaijani soldiers opening the vehicle and throwing documents out, while they were searching for weapons and found none. 4. The photos released by the police display a damaged empty vehicle at the scene, indicating that there was no cargo in the vehicle. 5. Who can imagine that weapons are being transported in a small passenger car that barely fits the passengers? 6. The video also shows Azerbaijani soldiers firing from a distance and shooting again as they approach the vehicle. It is evident that they only fired in the direction of our combat positions on their way back. Thus, the Azerbaijani claims that the Artsakh side fired first are also false. 7. If, according to the Azerbaijani side, the first shooter was the Artsakh side, then what will they say about the video evidence, and why were the targeted vehicle and casualties from both sides located on the road under our control, about 1 km away from the contact line? 8. Not satisfied with their losses, the Azerbaijani authorities may mistakenly believe that such an attack and the murder of our citizens would not receive an adequate response from the adjacent Artsakh combat position. Meanwhile, we have every right to protect our citizens from Azerbaijani criminal actions and genocidal acts,” wrote Artak Beglaryan.

This is a clear continuation of the Azerbaijani Aliev regime's policy of ethnic cleansing, paralleling the 84-day blockade. Azerbaijan is not only failing to comply with the International Court of Justice's ruling on February 22 regarding the opening of the Lachin corridor for people, vehicles, and cargo, but is also worsening the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh with such aggressive actions. Incidentally, the UN court dismissed the Azerbaijani request regarding Armenian mines, noting that there is insufficient evidence for them.

The Aliev dictatorship of Azerbaijan must be held accountable by the international community for this and previous crimes, including the blockade; otherwise, they will escalate their level of aggression and prepare for new and more brutal crimes against humanity and the people of Artsakh.

P.S. My deepest condolences to the families of the fallen police officers and a speedy recovery to the injured officer.

Recall that the Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that on the morning of March 5, around 10:00, a diversionary group of the Azerbaijani armed forces targeted and opened fire on the shift-change vehicle of the passport and visa department of the police. As a result of the diversionary infiltration, three police officers were killed, and another officer sustained a chest gunshot wound and is currently in a republican medical center.