Two Azerbaijani soldiers detained by Armenian National Security Service released - Russian Defense Ministry
MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - Russian peacekeepers have helped secure the release of two Azerbaijani Armed Forces servicemen earlier detained by Armenia's National Security Service, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Two servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan who were detained by the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia in the proximity of Tegh in Armenia's Syunik region on January 30, 2021 have been released through the mediation of the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent," the Defense Ministry said.
"In order to coordinate efforts to avert possible incidents in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, continuous interaction is underway with the General Staffs of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia," the ministry said.
A special operations medical unit of the Russian peacekeeping contingent evacuated 16 sick Azerbaijani servicemen from Vank to Magavuz at Azerbaijan's request on January 30, it said. They were subsequently transferred to the care of Azerbaijani medical personnel.
"Russian peacekeepers deployed at 27 observation outposts are monitoring the situation and compliance with the ceasefire round the clock. The ceasefire is holding along the entire line of contact," the ministry said.
Ninety-six refugees have returned to Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia in the past 24 hours, it said.
"In all, 51,947 people have returned to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh since November 14, 2020," the ministry said.
The fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh lasted from September 27 to November 9, 2020, when the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia adopted a statement enacting a total ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 10.
Russia then deployed a 1,960-strong peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is made up of mostly units of the 15th separate motorized rifle division of Russia's Central Military District.
A Russian-Turkish center monitoring compliance with the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict zone began operating in Azerbaijan on January 30.
The center was opened in accordance with a memorandum signed by the Russian and Turkish defense ministers on November 11, 2020. The center's specialists are in charge of gathering, summing up, and verifying information related to compliance with the ceasefire. They also use unmanned aerial vehicles in their work.