In an interview with France 24 today, the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, again rejected accusations that his nation was utilizing Syrian mercenaries in the fight against ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. In the interview he stated that “not a single country had presented us with evidence”. However, despite this statement, for weeks now videos have been leaking out of the embattled region.
From before the conflict even began, there were warnings that mercenaries were being sent to Azerbaijan. While often laughed down and met with doubt from all sides, the reports continued to grow. Indeed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported as early as 29th August that Syrian mercenaries were being sent to Azerbaijan after receiving training. This report was followed up with an additional report on 27th September, the day in which hostilities began in which SOHR confirmed that Syrian mercenaries were in-country. That same day, a grainy video of men in pickup trucks accompanied by an AIL Storm armored vehicle was released. The video claimed to show Syrian Mercenaries moving towards the front. However, the low quality of the footage made it impossible to decisively confirm at the time.
Full article: Over Defense