A possible large-scale anti-terrorist operation by Azerbaijan to liberate its occupied territories is not excluded, military expert Shair Ramaldanov told News.Az.

He made the remarks commenting on Monday’s military provocation of Armenia in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district along the two countries’ border, as a result of which Junior Sergeant of the Azerbaijani Army Elshan Mammadov was killed.

“If until now Azerbaijan has only repelled Armenia’s military provocations along the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, as well as the July incidents in the direction of Tovuz district, from now on, a possible large-scale anti-terrorist operation by Azerbaijan to liberate its occupied territories is not excluded,” he said.

The military experts stressed that all these provocations are a continuation of Armenia’s aggressive policy against Azerbaijan.

“Armenia keeps violating the ceasefire regime. Expectations that the OSCE Minsk Group will fulfill its commitments and find a solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity have been practically brought to naught,” Ramaldanov said. “At a time when the negotiation process is disrupted, the only way of resolving the conflict by military means remains. Azerbaijan has every right to liberate its occupied territories, as enshrined in international law.”

The expert recalled that even before the July clashes on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Azerbaijan had warned the international community and those who claimed the impossibility of a military solution to the Karabakh conflict that this situation could not continue indefinitely.

“Azerbaijan’s expectation to restore its territorial integrity has a limit of patience. It can be said to have run out. If the world community does not want the resumption of hostilities in the conflict zone, then they have time to use the existing levers within the framework of the existing documents of the UN Security Council and international law,” Ramaldanov added.

He emphasized that Armenia’s aggressive rhetoric and military provocations continue to aggravate the situation in the region.

“All this is evidenced by the Armenian foreign minister’s appeal for the resettlement of Armenians in the Middle East to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region. Moreover, there are reports of the recruitment of mercenaries, in particular, the deployment of militants from the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Nagorno-Karabakh. All this testifies to Armenia’s true intention to further aggravate the tensions and intensify its military provocations,” Ramaldanov concluded.

News.Az