Turkey transfers mercenaries to Azerbaijan through its terrorist arms

Amira Sherif

At a time when Turkey constantly denies its interference in the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s denial of sending mercenaries to support the Azerbaijani forces, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar’s neglect and the government’s failure to respond to an interrogation of a representative from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) came to confirm Turkey’s involvement in the matter of sending mercenaries, according to what was confirmed by a Turkish opposition politician.

Opposition politician Muhammad Ubaidullah stated that Akar had issued warnings to Armenia a few days ago to withdraw its forces from what he described as the lands it occupies inside Azerbaijan and confirmed that Ankara stood by Azerbaijan. Akar also said during his visit to Baku immediately after the outbreak of the confrontations that Azerbaijan is not alone and that Turkey will continue to support it, providing clear indications of Turkish intervention in this issue not only politically but militarily.

According to Al-Arabiya Net, the opposition member indicated that HDP MP Sarbel Kemalbay also submitted a briefing request to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in parliament a few days ago about the validity of the allegations of Turkey sending mercenaries to Azerbaijan, demanding the government to reveal the fact that Turkey had transferred 4,000 Syrian mercenaries from Afrin in northern Syria to Azerbaijan for $1,800 a month for three months.

Kemalbay based the briefing request on international reports stating that Azerbaijan bought drones from the Turkish company Bayraktar and used them to target missiles and tanks of the Armenian army. She also relied on the statements of the Syrian Observatory, which announced that Turkey had withdrawn 300 mercenaries from Syria to Azerbaijan, most of them from the pro-Turkish Sultan Murad Division, transferring them through the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey.

The MP pointed out that the Turkish parliament had called on Cavusoglu to respond to the use of Turkish F-16s to shoot down aircraft and bomb Armenian targets, noting that the Turkish government has not yet responded to the briefing request.

In addition, the opposition politician confirmed that Turkey transfers mercenaries through several subsidiary companies of SADAT, which was established by 23 retired officers from various units of the Turkish armed forces, headed by retired Brigadier General Adnan Tanriverdi, the security advisor to the Turkish president. It began its work on February 28, 2012, providing logistical and military services, transferring weapons, and training mercenaries to push them to conflict areas through the use of forged passports. SADAT was also behind the transfer of mercenaries to Libya via Syria, as is the case now with Azerbaijan via Gaziantep.

This comes at a time when international calls continue to adhere to a second truce announced on Sunday, after the previous ceasefire that was unveiled last week with Russian mediation dissipated within hours.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that more people had been killed among the mercenaries who were transferred by Ankara to Azerbaijan to participate in the fighting. In his speech before the Azerbaijani parliament, Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop stressed the need to continue the fighting.

Inciting the continuation of the conflict, Sentop said, “We call on you to continue your struggle and continue to defend your lands. Turkey will stand by your side in this struggle.”

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense announced that shelling targeted defense sites of the Azerbaijani army, adding that the Azerbaijani army targeted sites and tanks in Karabakh, which led to the death and injury of a large number of soldiers.

On the other hand, the Karabakh regional army announced that the Azerbaijani army suffered heavy losses to troops and equipment.

It is noteworthy that the return of the reciprocal bombing came despite the UN Security Council’s call to both Armenia and Azerbaijan to respect the new truce on the separatist region, in which the fighting between the two sides has left hundreds dead since late September.

Since September 27, clashes have continued in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which previously announced its secession from Azerbaijan and which is inhabited by a majority of Armenian origin.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is located within the territory of Azerbaijan and is internationally recognized as a part of it, is controlled by the Armenians, who manage their affairs on their own with huge financial and military support from Armenia, since the war of secession ended in 1994.

The fighting erupted after the Azerbaijani forces attempted to regain control of areas previously occupied by Armenian forces in the Karabakh war in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their homes in these areas between 1992 and 1994.