Nagorno-Karabakh claims soldiers' disappearance in Gadrut District

The communication with soldiers of several military posts set up in the vicinity of the villages of Khin Takher and Khtsaberd has been lost; searching for them is underway, the Nagorno-Karabakh's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 11, the first violation of the ceasefire since the end of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh was recorded. According to the MoD of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani militaries attacked two Armenian villages in the Gadrut Dictrict – Khtsaberd (the Azeri name is Chailakkala) and Khin Takher (In Takhlar), abandoned by residents during the autumn conflict escalation. Six Armenian soldiers were wounded; ten others were supposedly taken prisoners of war (POWs), Stepanakert has stated.

On December 15, "under unclear circumstances," communication was lost with the staff of several Karabakh military posts stationed in the vicinity of the villages of Khin Takher and Khtsaberd, the Nagorno-Karabakh's Defence Army has reported.

According to Russian analysts, Azerbaijani militaries should return to their initial positions after the offensive; while the incident was caused by the parties' unclear agreements. It is premature and unsafe for residents to return to their destroyed villages, Vladimir Evseev, a military expert, has noted.

Siranush Sargsyan, the advocate, representing the interests of Armenian POWs at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), said that relatives of several reservists who disappeared in the Gadrut Dictrict have already contacted her.