SOHR: 30 Turkish-backed mercenaries killed in Karabakh

Nearly 30 Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries killed in 48 hours, over 60 others missing in Nagorno-Karabakh battles, SOHR reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the Turkish government has thrown Syrian mercenaries into the ongoing battles in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“After having been told that their task was confined to the “guarding of oil fields and borders” in Azerbaijan, Turkish-backed Syrian factions have been noticeably involved into the Nagorno-Karabakh battles in the past 48 hours,” SOHR said.

The Observatory added: “It is worth-noting that the topography of Nagorno-Karabakh is similar to that of Jabal Al-Turkman and Jabal Al-Akrad in the northern countryside of Latakia in Syria. Exclusive information given to SOHR suggests that this is the reason behind Turkey’s transfer of battle-hardened Syrian fighters, who participated previously in battles in Jabal Al-Turkman and Jabal Al-Akrad, to Azerbaijan.”

SOHR has documented a spike in the number of fatalities among the Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries fighting in Azerbaijan. In the past 48 hours, 28 mercenaries were killed in Nagorno-Karabakh, while 62 others were injured and went missing. On the other hand, hundreds of Syrian fighters are preparing themselves to be transported by Turkish security companies in order to join the ongoing battles in Azerbaijan.