Baku Shi’ite Muslims aren’t fighting for Assad, MP says

Qalib Salahzada, a member of parliament from Baku’s Sabuncu district, has denied allegations that several Shi’ite Muslims in his constituency have left for Syria to join forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad. 

In an interview with Media Forum news website, Salahzada said the claims amount to “provocation” seeking sectarian conflict in the country.   

“I represent ten of Baku’s villages in parliament. None of my voters have come to me saying they had relatives in Syria,” he said. 

Some members of Azerbaijan’s Salafi community had earlier claimed that several Shiite Muslims are fighting on Assad’s side.

Several dozen Salafi Muslims from Azerbaijan have been killed in Syria by government forces.

ANN.Az