The connection between the phosphorus weapons used by Baku and the fires in Armenia has not been studied: Ministry of Internal Affairs

The Armenian government has not studied the causal relationship between the fires that broke out near the country's borders and the impact of phosphorus weapons used by Azerbaijan.

The information was reported by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia (MEA), responding to a written inquiry from Sputnik Armenia.

The department confirms that during the 2020 hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani armed forces used internationally banned cluster munitions, weapons containing white phosphorus or thermite.

"The " Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" SNCO (state non-commercial organization) analyzed the "Sentinel-2A" satellite images of forest areas burned within the borders of the Republic of Armenia during the specified period, and as a result of the analysis, burned areas were identified in the Syunik and Tavush regions, the total area of ​​​​the fires was 537 hectares.

The presented data refers only to the assessment of the burned areas, and the causal relationship of the fires with the use of phosphorus munitions has not been separately studied," the department's response states.

At the same time, the ministry notes that Azerbaijan's actions have caused irreparable damage to the environment, from large-scale forest fires to persistent pollution of air, soil, and water.