Chechen Minister supports Baku in new round of war

Elkhan Suleimanov, the Chechen Minister of Public Health, has posted a statement on the Instagram in support of Azerbaijan amid the aggravation of the Karabakh conflict. Some social network users have supported him; others have suggested him to go to the front.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that battles have been going on in the Karabakh conflict zone since September 27. The martial law was introduced in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani and Armenian sides report deaths of civilians as a result of shelling and air raids, and the destruction of opponent's military equipment.

Amid the aggravation of the Karabakh conflict, on September 29, Minister Suleimanov wrote in his Instagram in support of Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan, where I was born and raised, where I spent my childhood and youth, the country thanks to which I became who I am, is going through hard times. From the very start of the conflict, my family and I have felt the pain of the country's residents from the loss of their land, the sufferings of hundreds of thousands refugees who instantly lost their homes. And today I want to express my words of support to my hometown and country! Justice will prevail!" Suleimanov wrote in his page.

The minister's post has sparked disputes among social network users. Many supported him, but some users criticized the state official. "And what about the Sumgait massacre [...] What kind of justice are you talking about?" the user nora_87_eleonor has asked. "Why are you silent about the genocide in Khojaly?" the user emilkaveliyeva has asked.

"If your heart is on fire, show it in practice, go to the front to fight," the user aliev10_15 has suggested to Suleimanov.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 1, 2020 at 05:55 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.