Azeri army sees 36 fatalities in eight months – paper

Zerkalo, Baku
26 Aug 06

Excerpt from report by the "Doktrina" Centre for Journalists’ Military
Studies in Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 26 August headlined
"Peacetime fatalities in the army" and subheaded "185 soldiers died
in 44 months"; subheadings as published:

There were over 36 fatalities in the Azerbaijani army in the first
eight months of 2006. The figure shows that the number of fatalities
increased in comparison with the same period last year when the army
lost 29 soldiers.

In total, at least 39 servicemen died in 2005 and 35 in 2004.

Thus, there is an upward trend in the death rate in the armed forces.

In the past four years, the most unfavourable was 2003 when 75
servicemen died for various reasons.

Fatalities in the personnel

Based on data confirmed by officials from power-wielding bodies in
various periods, we can say that out of 36 servicemen who died in the
past eight months, 35 served in the Defence Ministry’s units and one
in the State Border Service.

A total of 35 servicemen of the Defence Ministry, three of the State
Border Service and one of the [Interior Ministry’s] Internal Troops
died in 2005.

The number of fatalities among officers also increased in 2006.
Fatalities include eight officers in the rank from lieutenant to
colonel, one warrant officer and 27 privates and sergeants.

[Passage omitted: fatalities in 2005]

Monitoring of the country’s print and electronic media in the past
eight months shows that eight servicemen were killed in various
accidents, 10 were killed by Armenians, one in a landmine blast,
two in fires, five committed suicide, three were killed in avalanche,
six in bullying incidents and one by sunstroke.

[Passage omitted: reasons for fatalities in 2005]

The wounded

We will try clarify the situation with wounded soldiers. It has turned
out that 20 servicemen were wounded in different circumstances.

[Passage omitted: 44 soldiers were wounded in 2005]