Azerbaijan's unveils massive cache of weapons found in Karabakh

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported a significant discovery of weapons and ammunition in the liberated territories of Karabakh over the past week.

Police operations from August 10 to 16 resulted in the seizure of a substantial arsenal, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

In the town of Khankandi, authorities uncovered a cache including 8 automatic rifles, 2 pistols, 8 rifles, 29 grenades, 24 fuses, 2 shells, 15 bayonet knives, 131 magazines, and 3,480 cartridges of various calibers, along with other munitions.

Additional finds included:

1 automatic rifle, 6 grenades, 1 bayonet knife, 4 magazines, and 417 cartridges in Kalbajar district.

1 automatic rifle, 1 pistol, 2 shotguns, 3 shells, 1 grenade, 1 magazine, and 30 rounds of various calibre ammunition in Khojaly district.

1 automatic rifle, 1 shotgun, 3 magazines, and 112 rounds of various calibre ammunition in Jabrayil district.

2 automatic rifles, 1 bayonet knife, 4 magazines, and 102 rounds of various calibre ammunition in Khojavand district.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan 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.