BAKU

Dozens of Syrian-Armenians have been illegally living in occupied Azerbaijani territories, according to documents found by Azerbaijani authorities.

A list with names of Syrians of Armenian descent and copies of some passports were found during the search of a building in the recently liberated city of Zangilan, Azerbaijani officials said.

The building was in the use of Armenian intelligence, they added.

The list had names of 60 individuals – part of 19 families – who have been illegally settled in the Zangilan region, according to the officials.

Occupation and conflict

Armenia occupied Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, and surrounding regions in 1991.

With about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory under illegal Armenian occupation, relations between the two former Soviet republics have remained tense for nearly three decades.

Since fresh clashes between the two erupted on Sept. 27, Azerbaijan has managed to reclaim several areas from Armenian forces. 

While world powers have called for a sustainable cease-fire, Turkey has supported Baku's right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia’s occupying forces.

Multiple UN resolutions also call for the withdrawal of the occupying forces.