Head of Azerbaijani air force shot in Baku

Agence France-Presse

Lt. Gen. Rail Rzayev, 64, was gunned down outside his home in the capital, Baku, as he left for work in the early morning, interior ministry spokesman Sadiq Gozalov told the AFP news agency. "The general was shot and received a heavy wound to the head. He was sent to the military hospital in Baku, where he died," Gozalov said. Gozalov said police were on the scene investigating and military prosecutors would be handling the case. He said he had no information regarding a possible motive for the shooting.

Experts said the killing may have been a contract hit linked with Rzayev's role in the large-scale military acquisitions Azerbaijan has made in recent years as government coffers surged from oil revenues. "This is the most serious murder in the history of Azerbaijan's defense ministry," Baku-based Military Analyst Uzeir Jafarov said.

"Rzayev was the focal point for air force and air defense military acquisitions and the largest part of Azerbaijan's military budget is being allocated for acquisitions in these spheres," he said.