Turkish doctors to help heal Azerbaijanis post-war

BAKU

Azerbaijan has invited a delegation of 20 expert psychologists from Turkey for the rehabilitation of civilians affected by Armenia’s attacks, according to an official statement on Monday.

Following the country’s Patriotic War against nearly three decades of Armenian occupation, families of veterans and martyrs, as well as some civilians have developed post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, difficulty in communication, insomnia, aggression and similar mental health problems, Azerbaijan’s Emergency Situations Ministry said.

The ministry noted that it has established an emergency hotline for such people with psychologists on duty 24 hours throughout the week.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44 days of heavy fighting, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from occupation.

The two countries signed a Russia-brokered truce in November to end the war and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.

*Writing by Sena Guler