Congressman Chris Smith, the most senior member on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, has called on House appropriators to allocate at least $50 million for food security, housing, medical aid, infrastructure, and other pressing needs in Artsakh, Asbarez reports.
Smith in the letter addressed to the committee leaders cited the vast death and destruction caused by Azerbaijan’s Turkey-backed attack last year, and considered this assistance vital.
Congressman Smith also forcefully condemned “credible reports that the Republic of Turkey funded mercenaries recruited from the Syrian National Army to fight with the Azerbaijani army that invaded Artsakh.”
In his letter, Rep. Smith called for suspending all U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan, along with Turkey, continues to frustrate the prospects for peace in Artsakh, and refuses to repatriate approximately 200 prisoners of war from the conflict,” Smith wrote.
