Why Azerbaijan Abducted Two Armenian Soldiers: What Are They Demanding in Return?

The State Border Service of Azerbaijan has announced that Azerbaijani border guards "stopped an illegal attempt to cross the border by a diversion group of the Armenian armed forces." According to the statement, Armenian soldiers allegedly attempted to cross the border in the area located in the Zangezur region.

Official Baku reported the detention of two Armenian soldiers, while the remaining saboteurs purportedly "attempted to flee." The Armenian Ministry of Defense also issued two statements yesterday, denying information circulated by Azerbaijani media alleging that the Armenian side had attempted to carry out a diversionary incursion in the southeastern section of the border area.

Later, the Ministry of Defense announced that contact had been lost with two Armenian soldiers who were supplying food to combat positions since May 26 at 19:00. According to the message, search operations are ongoing to locate the soldiers. It was also noted that a version of the soldiers’ possible appearance on the Azerbaijani side in still unclear circumstances is being examined.

Shortly prior, the Armenian Ministry of Defense released new information, stating that the vehicle used by the two Armenian soldiers being searched for since May 26 at 19:00 was found on the inter-position road. The vehicle was loaded with food and water intended for combat positions.

Reiterating the misinformation spread by Azerbaijani media and the Azerbaijani border service regarding an alleged diversionary infiltration attempt by the Armenian side, the Armenian Ministry of Defense has once again denied the false information. The Armenian defense agency stated that the Armenian side has ample evidence to refute the accusations, which will be presented to international partners.

“The found vehicle also contained weaponry attached to one of the soldiers, which evidences that even if the soldiers had exited the vehicle and were disoriented, they could not have had diversionary purposes,” the message stated.

The circumstances surrounding the illegal abduction of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijan are under extensive investigation, it added.

Although a day earlier at an expanded meeting of the Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow, Azerbaijani President publicly assured peace, by effectively abducting two Armenian soldiers, official Baku is provoking another incident, actively aided by Azerbaijani media, as is customary prior to executing any provocation, reports “Haykakan Zhamanak.”

According to the news outlet, Azerbaijan aims to use the abduction of the Armenian soldiers transporting food to the front line as leverage to negotiate an exchange for its saboteurs who infiltrated into Armenia some time ago, one of whom had killed a guard from the “Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine.”

It is recalled that one of the Azerbaijani saboteurs who infiltrated Armenia had addressed his followers live, stating, “We have spilled Armenian blood. We decapitated Armenians. And now we are still alive; we are not dead. Even if we die, let them value us.”

The news agency writes that thus, Azerbaijan is also violating the agreement reached earlier with the mediation of Charles Michel concerning the exchange of persons held by both sides.