Azerbaijan seizes large cache of Armenian weapons in Khankendi PHOTO

Police officers once again found weapons and ammunition in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi as part of comprehensive measures.

According to the press service of the Interior Ministry, 25 automatic rifles, 17 hand grenades, 6 rifles, 11 fuses, 3 bayonet knives, 1,965 cartridges of different calibre, etc. were found and seized from 12 to 19 July, Caliber.Az reports.

In addition, a pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition were found in the town of Shusha, and an automatic rifle, a machine gun, a shotgun and 200 rounds of ammunition were found in the Kalbajar district.

Khankendi was under Armenian occupation for over 30 years following the First Karabakh War from 1991 to 1994. The city came under Armenian control after an invasion of Azerbaijani territory in 1991.

The conflict escalated on September 27, 2020, when Armenian forces shelled Azerbaijani military positions and civilian areas, leading to a 44-day counter-offensive by Azerbaijan. During this period, Azerbaijan liberated around 300 settlements, including Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, and Shusha. The war ended with a tripartite agreement on November 10, 2020, which saw Armenia return the Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan.

After the war, Khankendi and parts of Khojaly and Khojavand remained under the temporary supervision of Russian peacekeepers. On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched anti-terror operations against Armenian forces in Karabakh following increased attacks and a mine incident that killed six Azerbaijani personnel. By September 20, Azerbaijani forces had neutralized key military assets of the Armenian forces.

On September 20, the separatist regime in Karabakh requested a halt to Azerbaijani military actions and agreed to disarm. On September 28, the separatist regime in Karabakh announced its self-dissolution and encouraged Armenian residents to review Azerbaijan’s reintegration conditions.