Azerbaijan’s Media Development Agency has accused several Western media outlets of conducting what it described as an organized disinformation campaign against the country, following reports about a fire near the village of Nizami in the Goranboy district.

In a statement issued on September 3, the agency said a September 2 report by the Poland-based Nexta channel relied on subjective assumptions and attempted to present the incident as part of Azerbaijan’s relations with other states. The agency described the coverage as part of what it called a coordinated hybrid information campaign.

The statement argued that recent reports by a number of Western outlets have adopted what Baku considers a one-sided approach toward Azerbaijan. It specifically named the UK-based Independent and Guardian, the BBC, US-based CNN, France’s Le Monde and Poland’s TVP, among others.

According to the agency, such reporting includes what it framed as unsupported claims and speculation that could distort public perception of events in Azerbaijan and create unnecessary concern among the public. The statement claimed these reports should be viewed as information manipulation rather than objective coverage.

The agency further connected the alleged campaign to the broader regional environment, noting that efforts to normalize relations between neighboring countries and strengthen regional stability are not welcomed by certain groups. It maintained that these conditions had been accompanied by an increase in false or misleading information targeting Azerbaijan.

The Media Development Agency stated that it would continue examining cases involving what it considers disinformation and take measures aimed at protecting Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, domestic and foreign policy, and international reputation.