23:59, 20 April 2021

Twenty-four Azerbaijani soldiers remain on list of military personnel missing in action

One of the ruined villages in the area of Djebrail. December 14, 2020. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

After the autumn combat actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, the bodies of 362 Azerbaijani soldiers, placed on the list of those missing in action, have been found. The search for other 24 soldiers continues.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on March 2, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan announced the identification of 2881 bodies of soldiers who deceased in Karabakh in the autumn of 2020. At that time, 28 soldiers were reported missing in action.

After the ceasefire agreement had been signed on November 10, 2020, 386 Azerbaijani soldiers were recognized as missing in action. During the search activities, including by interviewing witnesses, rechecking the testimonies of the military personnel, seizing mobile phone data, and other investigative actions, 362 bodies were found and handed over to their relatives, the Military Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan reported on April 20.

The search for other 24 soldiers considered missing in action continues. Meanwhile, search activities on the Murov Ridge are postponed because of bad weather.

Investigators are busy to find whether the soldiers considered missing in action are being kept as prisoners of war (POWs) or, if they perished, whether their remains were left on the territory controlled by the enemy.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 20, 2021 at 08:06 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent