Armenian foreign ministry: Azerbaijan’s attacks come after arrangement on cessation of hostilities reached earlier and OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ statement on establishment of relative calm
16.07.2020,
12:54
Armenia’s foreign ministry has released a statement on the resumption of military operations by Azerbaijan. “On July 16, early in the morning, the combat groups of the armed forces of Azerbaijan resumed military operations on the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the vicinity of Aygepar and Movses villages with the use of mortars and heavy artillery. Having received a proportionate response from the Armed Forces of Armenia, the forces of Azerbaijan were repelled with losses. With no gain in the battlefield, the Azerbaijani military units began shelling the villages of Movses and Aygepar deliberately targeting the civilian infrastructures and the population,” the Armenian foreign ministry says in its statement.
YEREVAN, July 16. /ARKA/. Armenia’s foreign ministry has released a statement on the resumption of military operations by Azerbaijan.
“On July 16, early in the morning, the combat groups of the armed forces of Azerbaijan resumed military operations on the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the vicinity of Aygepar and Movses villages with the use of mortars and heavy artillery. Having received a proportionate response from the Armed Forces of Armenia, the forces of Azerbaijan were repelled with losses. With no gain in the battlefield, the Azerbaijani military units began shelling the villages of Movses and Aygepar deliberately targeting the civilian infrastructures and the population,” the Armenian foreign ministry says in its statement.
The ministry finds it remarkable is that this aggression came as a treacherous violation of an arrangement on cessation of hostilities reached earlier and following the July 15 statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the establishment of relative calm on the border.
“As a result of its short-sighted policy, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is at an impasse and now is resorting to perilous, ill-conceived steps for which it will bear responsibility also before its own people,” the Armenian foreign ministry says in its statement.
The foreign minister is constantly in touch with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.
About escalation of tension on Armenian-Azerbaijani border
On July 12-14, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan carried out aggressive actions against Armenia in the north-eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. Azerbaijan made attempts to violate the state border in the Tavush region of Armenia using a tank, mortars, howitzers, drones and Grad MLRS. The shelling was carried out on Armenian strongholds, the Armenian villages of Chinari, Aygepar, Nerkin Karmirakhpyur and Paravakar, as well as the city of Berd, were attacked. Two enterprises, houses of civilians, a gas pipeline, were hit. More than 50 artillery shells were fired at populated areas of Armenia. As of July 15, there is a relative lull.
Units of the Armenian Armed Forces give a proportionate response to periodic shelling and suppress enemy activity. Air defense units of the Armenian Armed Forces destroyed the control system of UAVs of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, as well as 13 drones.
According to the situation on Wednesday, as a result of shelling of the wound, 20 servicemen received lungs of moderate severity, the condition of one is assessed as serious. Major Garush Hambartsumyan, captain Sos Elbakyan, as well as junior sergeants Smbat Gabrielyan and Grisha Matevosyan were killed by the enemy’s shot. There are no casualties among the civilian population of Armenia. Azerbaijan officially confirmed the death of 11 people.
Concerns regarding the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were expressed, in particular, by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US Department of State, the United Nations, NATO, the ICRC and other international structures. The CSTO also expressed serious concern over the escalation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and called for an immediate ceasefire. Concern was also expressed by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, saying that Moscow was ready for mediation efforts to resolve the situation. -0-
“On July 16, early in the morning, the combat groups of the armed forces of Azerbaijan resumed military operations on the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the vicinity of Aygepar and Movses villages with the use of mortars and heavy artillery. Having received a proportionate response from the Armed Forces of Armenia, the forces of Azerbaijan were repelled with losses. With no gain in the battlefield, the Azerbaijani military units began shelling the villages of Movses and Aygepar deliberately targeting the civilian infrastructures and the population,” the Armenian foreign ministry says in its statement.
The ministry finds it remarkable is that this aggression came as a treacherous violation of an arrangement on cessation of hostilities reached earlier and following the July 15 statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the establishment of relative calm on the border.
“As a result of its short-sighted policy, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is at an impasse and now is resorting to perilous, ill-conceived steps for which it will bear responsibility also before its own people,” the Armenian foreign ministry says in its statement.
The foreign minister is constantly in touch with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.
About escalation of tension on Armenian-Azerbaijani border
On July 12-14, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan carried out aggressive actions against Armenia in the north-eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. Azerbaijan made attempts to violate the state border in the Tavush region of Armenia using a tank, mortars, howitzers, drones and Grad MLRS. The shelling was carried out on Armenian strongholds, the Armenian villages of Chinari, Aygepar, Nerkin Karmirakhpyur and Paravakar, as well as the city of Berd, were attacked. Two enterprises, houses of civilians, a gas pipeline, were hit. More than 50 artillery shells were fired at populated areas of Armenia. As of July 15, there is a relative lull.
Units of the Armenian Armed Forces give a proportionate response to periodic shelling and suppress enemy activity. Air defense units of the Armenian Armed Forces destroyed the control system of UAVs of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, as well as 13 drones.
According to the situation on Wednesday, as a result of shelling of the wound, 20 servicemen received lungs of moderate severity, the condition of one is assessed as serious. Major Garush Hambartsumyan, captain Sos Elbakyan, as well as junior sergeants Smbat Gabrielyan and Grisha Matevosyan were killed by the enemy’s shot. There are no casualties among the civilian population of Armenia. Azerbaijan officially confirmed the death of 11 people.
Concerns regarding the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were expressed, in particular, by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US Department of State, the United Nations, NATO, the ICRC and other international structures. The CSTO also expressed serious concern over the escalation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and called for an immediate ceasefire. Concern was also expressed by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, saying that Moscow was ready for mediation efforts to resolve the situation. -0-
