Türkiye offers condolences for deadly fuel depot explosion, fire in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan

ISTANBUL

Türkiye extended condolences Wednesday for a deadly fuel depot explosion and fire in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

"We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," said the Foreign Ministry. "If needed, Türkiye is ready to provide the necessary assistance."

Dozens were killed and more than 200 were injured in the explosion at a fuel storage facility, Armenia's official news agency reported Tuesday.

The facility is near Khankendi, where Azerbaijan started a counterterrorism operation last Tuesday.

That was after two people were killed when a truck belonging to an Azerbaijani government institution hit a mine on the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway in the Jabrayil region last week. Four police officers responding to the scene were also killed when their vehicle struck another mine.

Later, Azerbaijan said it launched "counter-terrorism" measures in its Karabakh region to uphold provisions outlined in a trilateral peace agreement with Russia and Armenia to end a 2020 conflict.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said last Wednesday that under an agreement achieved with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the region, it decided to halt counter-terrorism activities.