Turkey transferred six F-16 fighters, twenty TB2 drones and eight T-129 attack helicopters to Azerbaijan

Turkish Air Force's T-129 Attack Helicopter is flying over Nagorno-Karabakh. Source Turkish Air Force.

Military-diplomatic sources of Kommersant reported that the current serious aggravation of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh was planned by Turkey. According to their version, in recent months, Ankara has actively involved in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict to unleash hostilities under the promise of comprehensive political-diplomatic, intelligence and military-technical support. Earlier, the US and French authorities spoke about Turkey’s direct intervention in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Four Turkish F-16 fighters have landed at Gaabala International Airport.

The picture that Kommersant’s military-diplomatic sources paint is as follows. After the completion of the next Turkish-Azerbaijani exercises in July-August, a significant group of the Turkish Armed Forces allegedly remained on the territory of Azerbaijan, which was called upon to play a coordinating and directing role in planning and conducting an offensive operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The media reported that the Turkish military deployed at least six F-16 fighters and eight T-129 combat helicopters to the territory of Azerbaijan, which significantly increased the combat capability of Azerbaijan.

It is reported that at the moment only F-16 fighters are involved, however, apparently, Ankara and Baku are preparing for a powerful operation that will cut off the territory of the self-proclaimed NKR from Armenia, which will make it possible to quickly take control of up to 50 percent of the region.

According to the Russian media Kommersant, Turkish military and instructors have been in Azerbaijan since July this year, when the first prerequisites for an armed conflict in the NKR were created.

Turkish Military In Azerbaijan

After the completion of the next Turkish-Azerbaijani exercises in July-August, a significant group of the Turkish Armed Forces allegedly remained on the territory of Azerbaijan, which was called upon to play a coordinating and directing role in planning and conducting an offensive operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (left) and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Photo: Turkish Presidency / Murat Cetinmuhurdar / Handout / Anadolu Agency / AFP

Turkey deployed almost 600 servicemen, including a battalion tactical group of 200 people, 50 instructors in Nakhichevan, 90 military advisers in Baku (they provided a liaison in the conduct of hostilities in the brigade-corps-general staff chain); 120 flight personnel at the Gabala airbase; 20 drone operators at the Dallar airfield, 50 instructors at the Yevlakh airfield, 50 instructors in the 4th Army Corps (Pirekeshkul) and 20 people at the naval base and at the Heydar Aliyev military school in Baku, reported Russian media Kommersant.

This group allegedly included 18 BMPs, one multiple launch rocket system, ten vehicles and up to 34 aircraft (including 6 aircraft, 8 helicopters, up to 20 TB2 drones), which provided military intelligence both in the Karabakh region and in Armenia. “, according to Russian information publication Kommersant.

Turkish Weapons Supply To Azerbaijan

 In particular, the delivery of people and ammunition was allegedly carried out on September 4 by a C-130 aircraft of the Turkish Air Force, on September 18 by a CN-235 aircraft, on September 25 by an A400M aircraft.

In the midst of hostilities on September 28-30, in addition to the previously arrived military advisers, the commander of the ground forces Umit Dundar and the Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar arrived in Azerbaijan. 

Turkish Military stationed in Azerbaijan. Photo: Arif Akdogan / Anadolu Agency / AFP

On September 30, October 1 and 3, the delivery of medicines and small arms, according to them, was carried out by CN-235 planes along the route Etimesgut (Ankara) -Nasosnaya (Haji-Zeynalabdin).

The delivery of personnel and ammunition was allegedly also carried out on October 7 by a C-130 Turkish Air Force (flight TUAF737).

On October 9 , as Kommersant’s interlocutors say, an Azerbaijani military transport aircraft Il-76TD (flight AZAF002) on the Amman-Baku route transited through Georgia DShK machine guns (200 units) with ammunition.

Earlier, Turkey also sent requests for transit flights through the Georgian airspace on October 14, 21 and 28. Kommersant’s sources say that the permits have been obtained.

Mercenaries In Nagorno-Karabakh

Earlier, the British radio station BBC reported that Turkey has transferred 150 militants from the Jaysh al-Sham group from Afrin to Azerbaijan. About 2,000 more people from the “Sultan Murad Brigade” were preparing to be transferred to Karabakh as of early October. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal also reported this. At the same time, Washington Post journalists, citing the relatives of the Syrian mercenaries, reported that more than 50 of them died during the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.

A particular danger is the presence on the territory of Azerbaijan of a large number of combat helicopters and aircraft of the Turkish Air Force, especially taking into account the very serious losses of the Armenian air defense.

“Now a fight for the depletion of Armenian air defense systems may well be going on. As soon as medium and long-range air defense systems are destroyed, Turkish fighters and combat helicopters will be used, and this will allow taking control of tens of square kilometres of NKR territory per day ”, said Russian military expert.

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