Azerbaijan border guard dies after fever injection, family says

Natiq Mammadov

An Azerbaijani border guard has died in the Nakhchivan exclave after reportedly suffering from shock following a routine medical injection, his family says.

Natiq Mammadov, a conscript serving with the State Border Service (DSX), died on 1 June in what his family has described as suspicious circumstances.

His father, Namiq Mammadov, told that his son had no prior health issues but fell ill after receiving treatment for a mild fever.

They took my son to the medical post with a fever of 37.5C (99.5F)," the father said. "They gave him an injection there. Most likely, the injection caused a shock."

He added that his son was subsequently transferred to a hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.

The family said an examination of the body revealed no physical wounds or signs of violence, leading them to suspect medical negligence.

They gave him antibiotics and the boy went into shock," Mammadov said, adding that forensic samples had been taken for analysis.

The family also reported that local police prohibited filming during the funeral and confiscated mobile phones during the burial. A video posted by Mammadov on TikTok discussing his son's death was reportedly deleted hours after it was uploaded.

Mammadov's death is the fifth fatality recorded within the ranks of the DSX over the past month.

The DSX has not released any public statement regarding the incident or the other recent deaths.

Non-combat deaths remain a persistent issue within the Azerbaijani military. According to research by Jasur Mammadov, director of the Caspian Defence Studies Institute, at least 20 Azerbaijani service members died in non-combat circumstances in the first five months of 2026.