Azerbaijan says bodies of 13 Armenian soldiers transferred to Yerevan

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan announced on Monday that it has transferred the bodies of 13 Armenian soldiers to Yerevan.

“On Nov. 28 of this year, 13 bodies belonging to Armenian servicemen discovered as a result of the search operations in the area were examined with the participation of the employees of the Military Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” said a written statement by Azerbaijan's State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons.

The bodies were transferred to Armenia “with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross” and “in accordance with norms of international humanitarian law” after examinations established no signs of violence on them.

On Sept. 20, Azerbaijan handed over the bodies of 95 Armenian soldiers killed in border clashes which it says was caused by the "provocation" of the Armenian army.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions – Lachin, Kalbajar, Agdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Qubadli, and Zangilan.

In fall 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Baku liberated several cities, villages and settlements in Karabakh from Armenian occupation, ending in a Moscow-brokered truce. The conflict’s peace agreement was celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.​​​​​​​

Since then, diplomatic efforts have been taken for reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan following their conflict in the fall of 2020.