The Susuzluq explosion was a mine explosion in the vicinity of the village of Susuzluq in Azerbaijan's Kalbajar region, which occurred on 4 June 2021. The explosion killed 3 people, two of them journalists, and wounded another 4. This is the first case of journalist death on Azerbaijani territory after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
The Azerbaijani side thereafter accused Armenia of not providing maps of mined areas to Azerbaijan. Ambassadors and embassies of various countries in Azerbaijan, as well as representatives from the Human Rights Watch, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the International Federation of Journalists expressed their concerns over the incident and offered their condolences.
Background
The Kalbajar district was seized by Armenian forces in 1993, during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, after which 60 thousand Azerbaijanis and Kurds living in the region were displaced; more than 150 Azerbaijanis were taken hostage to be exchanged with Armenian prisoners.
On 25 November 2020, the Kalbajar region, according to the trilateral ceasefire agreement, was returned to Azerbaijani control.
Demining of the territories affected by the Karabakh conflict remains one of the main issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia after the Second Karabakh War. According to the official data, since the ceasefire agreement was signed, more than 120 Azerbaijani military and civilians died or were injured as a result of mine incidents. Azerbaijan has repeatedly demanded Armenia to provide the maps of minefields. Azerbaijan also sent two complaints to the European Court of Human Rights, stressing that without transferring data on mined territories, the risk of such events will persist.
On 12 May, a border crisis started between the two countries, during which Azerbaijani forces repeatedly crossed several kilometers into Internationally recognised Armenian territory. On 27 May, Azerbaijan detained six Armenian servicemen, with allegations that they were trying to mine the territory of Kalbajar. The Armenian authorities stated that they were engaged in strengthening the defence of the border region by planting a minefield with warning signs on Armenian territory.
On 28 May 2021, the EU spokesperson Peter Stano called for immediate de-escalation and urged both sides to pull back their forces to positions held before 12 May and engage in negotiations on border delimitation and demarcation, welcoming proposals for a possible international observation mission and expressing readiness to provide expertise and help on border delimitation and demarcation. The EU continues to call on Azerbaijan to release all prisoners of war and detainees without delay and welcomes all efforts aimed at decreasing tensions.
Incident
The employees of the State News Agency of Azerbaijan (AZERTAC) and the Azerbaijan Television (AzTV) went to the location to film the territories that Azerbaijan recaptured in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. On 4 June 2021, a Kamaz passenger bus carrying media representatives to the village of Susuzluq, Kalbajar region, hit an anti-tank mine.
As a result of the explosion, 3 persons died, 4 others received injuries of varying severity.
Deaths
Siraj Abyshov, camera operator of the Azerbaijan television, was born on 29 August 29 in the city of Qubadli, Azerbaijan SSR. During the First Karabakh War, together with his family, he was displaced and moved to the city of Sumgait. In 2019, he started working for AzTV. Maharram Ibrahimov (Alioglu), reporter of the Azerbaijan State News Agency, was born on 16 April 1982 in the village of Ardanish, Krasnoselsky District, Armenian SSR. In 2003, he enrolled to the military service in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs which he completed on 15 July 2004. Since 1 September 2004, he was a reporter of "AZERTAC". During the Second Karabakh War, he covered the events in the war zone. Arif Agalar oglu Aliyev, the Deputy Representative of the Head of the Executive Power of the Kalbajar region in the Susuzluq administrative-territorial district, was born in 1983 in the Susuzluq village. During the First Karabakh War, he was displaced to Khasabag village, Goygol region. He worked in this position since 2012. On 5 June 2021, his body will be delivered home to Goygol district, to be buried.
Wounded
Emin Mammadov, a stage director of Azerbaijan TV. upon being contacted on the 4th of June he said that his condition was stable.
The other three victims have not been named. One of them is a bus driver, two others are villagers.