Armenia’s attempts to retrieve bodies of fallen troops met with intense Azeri gunfire

The Armenian side knows the number and location of bodies of killed troops, but all attempts to recover the bodies were met with intense Azerbaijani gunfire, Major-General Arakel Martikyan, the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces told foreign ambassadors during a meeting in Vardenis.

Speaking about the reports by families of missing troops that there are bodies of troops at an outpost in Verin Shorzha and that the military still hasn’t recovered them, the major-general said the reports are true.

“We’ve abandoned only the positions which were completely overrun and our troops were killed. Today we really know where and how many bodies of our comrades are, this is the most painful part. Troops who gave their lives for their country must be properly laid to rest, worthy for a soldier.

The Azerbaijani side promised a humanitarian ceasefire, a humanitarian ceasefire envisages the recovery of the wounded and bodies, but our attempts to retrieve the bodies of our fallen troops were met by intense Azerbaijani gunfire and a statement that they will return the bodies of our servicemen,” the major-general said.