Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of genocide, ethnic cleansing in devastating conflict

Deputy Chief of Azerbaijan’s State Security Service, Lieutenant General Sharafat Hasanov, has highlighted the atrocities committed by Armenia, emphasizing the genocide and ethnic cleansing suffered by the Azerbaijani population.

In a presentation of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) report, Hasanov also detailed the devastating impact of the war, including widespread loss of life, destruction of property, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.

The report, compiled by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), shed light on the immense suffering experienced by the Azerbaijani civilian population during the conflict with Armenia.

According to General Hasanov, Armenian armed formations were responsible for committing ethnic cleansing and genocide, which have left deep scars on the people and landscape of Azerbaijan.

At the presentation of the ICMP's "Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan", Hasanov stated that Azerbaijani civilians were subjected to horrendous massacres, with captives enduring inhumane treatment, including brutal torture.

The deputy chief of the State Service emphasized the extensive damage caused by the conflict, citing that over 19,000 Azerbaijani citizens were killed or went missing, and more than 65,000 suffered injuries. He also highlighted the widespread destruction of over 900 settlements, with billions of dollars of damage inflicted on both infrastructure and the environment in the occupied territories.

Lieutenant General Hasanov further noted that the conflict, which has persisted since 1988 due to Armenia's unjust territorial claims and the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, resulted in a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe. The conflict has left Azerbaijan grappling with the destruction of homes, infrastructure, and agricultural land, much of which remains contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.

In a related development, General Hasanov also commented on Azerbaijan’s cooperative stance in the aftermath of the 44-day war. He stated that the Armenian side did not face any significant obstacles in the process of searching for and removing bodies from Azerbaijan’s territory.

Speaking at the same presentation of the ICMP’s report, Hasanov highlighted Azerbaijan’s exemplary cooperation with Armenia on the issue of missing persons. He pointed out that Azerbaijan had provided full support to the Armenian side in this regard, demonstrating a spirit of collaboration in the difficult task of identifying and recovering the remains of fallen soldiers and civilians.

However, Hasanov expressed concern over Armenia's unconstructive and inhumane stance on the matter, which he said has hindered further progress on resolving the issue of captives and missing persons.

By Vafa Guliyeva