Buraq Airlines has denied any involvement in transporting mercenaries from Libya to Azerbaijan, to fight in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The airlines said in a statement that the flight that landed in Azerbaijan yesterday did so to refuel and categorically denied it carried mercenaries onboard.
“Buraq denies all rumours regarding the regular trip that the company undertakes, to repatriate illegal immigrants. This is in coordination with international organisations to ensure their return to their homeland,” the airlines said in a statement on Thursday.
“Yesterday, the airlines operated a direct flight to Dhaka via Baku, to refuel and return the stranded immigrants,” it added. Buraq Airlines explained that, “The company is undertaking many unscheduled flights to African and Asian countries, in coordination with international organisations.”
Yesterday, at around 21:10 GMT time, a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane flew from Tripoli to Baku. It touched down in the Azerbaijani capital at around 01:30 GMT time. The flight was non-stop. The plane passed through the airspace of Turkey and Georgia, before arriving at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport of Baku.
On 27 September, the Armenian United Information Centre, cited Armenian intelligence claiming that about 4,000 militants from Syria were taking part in conflict alongside Azerbaijani forces.