details added (first version posted at 17:49)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 13
By Ilkin Izzet - Trend:
Armenians attract mercenaries from Lebanon and Syria to their military operations, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said, the defense ministry reported April 13.
Hasanov made this statement while addressing the command staff at the meeting dedicated to the large-scale exercises involving all combat arms.
The minister expressed confidence that the occupied territories of Azerbaijan will be released soon.
"As a result of attention and care of President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have become the most powerful army in the region," he said. "The country's army has the most modern weapons, ammunition and military equipment. The morale of personnel is growing every day."
While assessing the enemy's current state, Hasanov said that the Armenians, who have suffered numerous losses in the recent battles, failed to carry out provocations.
Hasanov said that the enemy's repeated attempts to carry out the diversion in the direction of Azerbaijani positions were immediately prevented by the country's servicemen.
"Armenians are trying to hide their losses," the minister said. "But we are fully aware of the situation in the occupied territories. According to the information, we get from various sources, as well as from the enemy, the situation in Armenia and in the occupied territories is very deplorable."
"The lack of soldiers in the enemy's army has reached such a level that Armenia places civilians on the posts," he said. "Moreover, the mercenaries from various countries, including the Middle East - Lebanon and Syria are involved in the military operations."
"The Azerbaijani armed forces are fighting against the military-criminal political regime of Armenia, its leadership, rather than the Armenian people," the minister said.
"The Azerbaijani Armed Forces are always ready to execute any order of the Supreme Commander," Hasanov said.
Hasanov expressed confidence that an Azerbaijani soldier will justify the confidence of people and leadership of the country.
"The only way of liberating the Azerbaijani lands is the final and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of the country," he said. "The use of force is another alternative. The enemy must understand this. Armenia must not try the patience of Azerbaijan."
"The primary responsibility of the armed forces is to be constantly ready for neutralizing the enemy," the minister said. "We are always ready for this. The exercises and training of all combat troops to improve combat readiness, professionalism and combat determination prove that the day of victory is near."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.