Health Minister not ruling out remains of Azeri troops in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Acting Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan has not ruled out that remains of Azerbaijani soldiers could be among the bodies whose DNA identities don't match those in the parent database.

Avanesyan said in an interview with the Public TV that some parents refuse to provide DNA samples for some reason. That is why, she added, some of the bodies have DNA profiles that don't match any of those in the parents' database.

"Of course, there might be non-Armenians among them," the acting Minister of Health said. "That is why we maintain constant communication with the International Committee of the Red Cross. If we find out there are bodies of Azerbaijani soldiers, all the procedures will be carried out within international law. We expect the same from Azerbaijan."

Avanesyan also said health authorities in Armenia are still unable to separate DNA from the remains of about 50 victims of the Karabakh war. She said Armenia is currently working with the Netherlands to send the bodies over there for additional examinations.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side has returned all the regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.