By Ruslan Rehimov
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) — Azerbaijan harbors no hostility towards Armenian-origin residents of Karabakh and will provide them relief, the country's president assured on Wednesday, hours after Baku concluded anti-terror activities in the region.
"The Armenian population in Karabakh can now breathe easy. They are our citizens. We have no hostility towards the Armenian people. We held those at the top of the criminal regime accountable," Ilham Aliyev said in a televised address to the nation.
He also said the process of disarming and vacating illegal Armenian armed groups from their positions in Karabakh was in progress.
"All assigned tasks (in Karabakh) were accomplished within a single day. Terrorists have been punished. Azerbaijan's Sovereignty is restored in the region," he added.
Also, President Aliyev acknowledged the "unexpected political competence" displayed by Armenia and its importance in the anti-terror activities' conclusion.