Azerbaijan never targeted Armenian civilians MFA spokesperson responds to his Finnish envoy

The Spokesperson to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Aykhan Hajizada, has responded to the statements of Kirsti Narinen, the Ambassador of Finland to Azerbaijan with residence in Ankara, who is also the ambassador to other countries of the South Caucasus.

Narinen alleged that the Armenian residents of the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan did not leave the region voluntarily, but were faced with “fear of violence.”

Hajizada said Azerbaijan has never attacked civilians of Armenian origin.

“Armenia committed numerous atrocities against Azerbaijanis, while Azerbaijan never targeted Armenian civils, instead ensuring a safe environment for their reintegration. Turning a blind eye to the fact confirmed by the United Nations, UNOCHA, ICRC, and UNCHR that Azerbaijan did not force Armenians out is nothing but hypocrisy," Hajizada wrote on X, according to Caliber.Az.

Ethnic Armenians have been voluntarily leaving the Garabagh region after the Azerbaijani military conducted anti-terror measures to neutralize illegal formations of the Armenian army in the region. The 24-hour anti-terror operation from September 19-20 disabled almost the entire military infrastructure of the separatists, leaving them no choice but to surrender.

The capitulation of the illegal Armenian armed formations in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan came on September 20 after they retreated agreeing to complete disarmament. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, in coordination with the Russian peacekeepers, has been confiscating weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from the illegal Armenian troops in the region.

Some part of the Armenian residents have left Garabagh by their own will, despite Baku’s calls to stay and reintegrate. The Azerbaijani government also pledged to guarantee all fundamental rights of the Armenians living in the region.

A reporter for Al Jazeera said the people of Khankendi, the Garabagh region, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers, stated they have not been forced out of their houses and have not faced any human rights abuses by the Azerbaijani side.

The Azerbaijani authorities have been facilitating the movement of the Armenian residents who voluntarily left the region via the Lachin road. Forty buses were dispatched by Baku to the border zone upon the request of the Armenian residents’ representatives.

The government of Azerbaijan has not yet provided the number of Armenians departing the country. The Azerbaijani authorities ordered the State Migration Service to register Armenian residents of the Garabagh region to ensure their sustainable reintegration into Azerbaijani society, based on the guarantees of fundamental rights, including cultural, educational, religious, and municipal.