On December 29, Azerbaijan returned 5 Armenian servicemen to Yerevan. The captives were transferred with the support of Hungary.

The statement came from the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons and Hostages of Azerbaijan.

The statement said that the detainees were servicemen detained on November 16 this year "while preventing the provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of Kalbajar on the state border."

The commission also announced on December 29, that a civilian of Armenian origin had also been returned to his country. It was said that he had lost his way.

Earlier, Azerbaijan announced that some of the Armenian servicemen detained on November 16 this year had been returned to their country. Officials said a total of about 30 servicemen were detained at the time.

Earlier, the President of Azerbaijan stated that after the signing of the statement on November 10 last year, more than 100 people were returned to Armenia.

After that statement, the Armenian servicemen detained by Azerbaijan caused a long-running dispute between the two countries.

Armenia also considers them prisoners of war and wanted them returned. Azerbaijani officials considered them provocateurs, not prisoners of war. However, many of them were later returned in exchange for mine maps of the liberated areas.

Later, Azerbaijani officials stressed that these maps also partially reflected the reality.

Earlier, Azerbaijan handed over 10 Armenian servicemen to Armenia on December 4.

According to the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, the detainees were held by the Armenian armed forces on November 16 this year while "preventing provocations in the direction of the Kalbajar region of the state border of Azerbaijan."

As a result of the talks, the Armenian side provided the Azerbaijani side with mine maps of other liberated territories of Azerbaijan, the State Security Service said.

"We thank the Russian Defence Ministry for its mediation mission in obtaining mine maps," the State Security Service said.

On November 16, there were localised battles on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border that included artillery. The fighting was stopped at the initiative of Russia.