There are reliable information that Armenia has settled 8 thousand Afghan militants in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the head of the International Association to Fight Unfounded Armenian Allegations (ASİMDER), based in Turkey, Göksel Gülbey, told the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza today, noting that Yerevan does not even try to hide it.
"Armenia does not maintain total silence on this matter. Many of the militants moved with their families to Armenia from Iran, where about 3 million Afghan families found shelter due to the civil war and poverty in Afghanistan. Many were brought to Karabakh, after choosing those capable of fighting, some of them left for Armenia as volunteers. The Afghans have a small choice: either the war in their homeland or paid military service and certain benefits in Karabakh," Göksel Gülbey explained.
Militants are hired by Yerevan for 5 years. "During this time they will receive $3,000 per month, and also will be able to obtain Armenian citizenship and visas to Europe. Our center monitors the media and social networks of Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan on the daily basis. We have learned about Afghan mercenaries from correspondence of Iranian WhatsApp users, in addition, we have our own reliable sources in Iran that confirm this fact," the head of ASİMDER said.
The reason for hiring Afghans, according to him, is that after the April battles for Karabakh, in which many Armenian citizens were killed, Yerevan does not want to send them to the front anymore, preferring to use mercenaries. At the same time, it should be noted that the concentration of mercenaries in Karabakh will not only affect Armenia's economy, but also affect the security of the entire region, as it will lead to the creation of terrorist cells and camps in the Caucasus," Göksel Gülbey warned.
The head of ASİMDER stressed that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict depends on a strong Azerbaijan with a strong ally in the person of Turkey, while a decisive role in the peace process is played by Russia. "It is important to solve the conflict at the negotiating table and return the occupied territories to Azerbaijan, to prevent a full-scale war in the region. Turkey seeks to influence both sides of the conflict, while Azerbaijan is struggling for a just solution to the conflict," he concluded.
