Azeri troops set fire to Armenian farmers’ winter hay

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 10:34, 1 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani military servicemen are deliberately setting fire to not only the pastures and hayfields of Armenian villagers in the Gegharkunik province, but also the hay reserves which the farmers are keeping for winter season.

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Villagers from Kut and Sotk are reporting to the Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan that as soon as the fire is extinguished the Azeri troops are again setting fire. The wildfires which began as a result of the Azeri military’s arson continues to spread. “In many areas you can’t go anywhere near the fire because the area is under Azerbaijani military crosshairs, and whenever anyone approaches they start to shoot. Firefighting is carried out by rescuers, with support of local residents. But equipment cannot be deployed in all affected areas because the fire is spreading in terrain which is difficult to access. The weather conditions make the fire spread more easily. Studies showed that firefighters were able to extinguish only the fire near Sotk in one day,” Tatoyan said in a statement, emphasizing that the Azeri arson is depriving the villagers from their source of income.

Given the fact that the Azeri troops are located inside Armenian sovereign territory, in direct vicinity of villages, the fires pose a real and present danger to the life and property of the civilian population.

The Human Rights Defender said that the facts show that the Azeri troops are acting deliberately, with intent to cause damages to the civilians.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan