Russian peacekeepers 'mistakenly' killed in Karabakh, says Azerbaijan

By Ruslan Rahimov

BAKU (AA) – Azerbaijan said on Wednesday that its soldiers "mistakenly" opened fire on a vehicle in Karabakh believing it belonged to illegal Armenian forces due to rain and fog in difficult terrain conditions, which resulted in the deaths of five Russian soldiers.

One Russian soldier lost his life due to the fire opened by Armenian insurgent groups as well, said a statement from the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office.

"On September 20, a group of Azerbaijani soldiers participating in counter-terrorism activities in the rural area of Canyatak village in the Terter region mistook a vehicle carrying Russian Peacekeeping Forces personnel for a vehicle belonging to illegal Armenian forces and opened fire due to difficult terrain conditions, rain, and fog. As a result of the incident, 5 personnel of the Russian Peacekeeping Forces lost their lives,” the statement said.

Furthermore, on the same day and in the same village area, an illegal Armenian group opened fire on a truck belonging to the Russian Peacekeeping Forces, it said, adding that one Russian soldier was killed, and another soldier was injured in the incident.

- Investigations launched

The statement said investigations into both incidents have begun, and Azerbaijani and Russian chief prosecutors have agreed to conduct a comprehensive and intensive investigation.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry previously reported that soldiers in the vehicle carrying Russian Peacekeeping Forces were killed as a result of gunfire directed at the vehicle.