Baku claims Stepanakert man attempted attack at public event

Azerbaijani media report that Karen Avanesyan allegedly attempted to open fire near a public event site in Stepanakert.

According to these reports, on September 14, Karen Albert Avanesyan, born in 1967 and a resident of Stepanakert, left his home and went to a nearby forest where he had previously hidden a Kalashnikov rifle, four magazines, and five grenades.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that after retrieving the weapons, Avanesyan attempted to approach the area where an event was taking place. He was reportedly stopped by police officers.

The ministry alleges that Avanesyan resisted arrest by throwing three hand grenades and opening fire on the officers. He was wounded by return fire and detained.

One police officer was also reportedly injured during the incident, according to Caliber.az .

A criminal case has been launched jointly by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Service, with operational-investigative measures underway.

A year ago, Avanesyan told Azerbaijani media that he had obtained Azerbaijani citizenship at the age of 16. “I am not a citizen of Armenia. I am Azerbaijani,” he said, according to Minval.az . He also stated that he feeds hundreds of stray cats in Stepanakert.

During this period, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is visiting the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 14, he visited Hadrut and the village of Sos.