Defense ministry: Azerbaijan has violated ceasefire 120 times overnight
17.07.2020,
12:28
Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 120 times overnight, including from Nakhichevan, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the representative of the Armenian defense ministry and coordinator of the crisis information center, said Friday morning at a briefing in Ijevan.
YEREVAN, July 17. /ARKA/. Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 120 times overnight, including from Nakhichevan, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the representative of the Armenian defense ministry and coordinator of the crisis information center, said Friday morning at a briefing in Ijevan.
"Last night, the enemy violated ceasefire about 120 times shelling along the entire border of Armenia. Mostly small arms, including large-caliber ones, were used. No artillery and other large-caliber weapons were used," he said.
Hovhannisyan said that the fire was carried out not only in that part of the Tavush province where the fighting took place, but in all areas, including in the section of Noyemberyan.
"The shelling was also in the region of Gegharkunik region on the front of the 2nd army corps and in the Nakhichevan direction in the region of the 4th and 5th army corps," he said.
In general, he noted that the tension has significantly decreased.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is historically Armenian territory. Today it is the exclave of Azerbaijan and has the status of an autonomous state within the Republic of Azerbaijan.
About escalation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border
Since July 12, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been carrying out aggressive actions against Armenia in the north-east direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The enemy attempted to violate the state border in the Tavush region of Armenia using a tank, mortars, howitzers, drones and Grad MLRS. The shelling targeted Armenian strongholds, several villages and the city of Berd. After the lull of July 15, on the night of July 16, Azerbaijan troops again attempted raids in the Aygepara section, but after suffering numerous losses, they was thrown back, continuing shelling of the settlements.
The Armenian Armed Forces is providing a proportionate response to periodic shelling and suppressing the enemy’s activity. For the entire period, the air defense units of the Armenian army destroyed Azerbaijan’s control system of UAVs, 13 drones, a tank and artillery batteries.
According to preliminary data, as of Thursday, 36 soldiers were injured as a result of attacks on Armenian strongholds (16 of them were light abrasions, 20 were hospitalized and received medical care, one was in serious condition), 4 soldiers were killed and 6 cars were damaged. As a result of shelling of peaceful settlements in Tavush, 24 houses, a brandy factory and a winery, a kindergarten, a cemetery, 4 cars, a water main, a gas pipeline and a greenhouse were damaged, as well as a police checkpoint, in which 2 police officers were injured. In addition, one civilian was also wounded. Azerbaijan officially confirmed the death of 11 servicemen, the Armenian side reported the death of at least 10 more Azerbaijani special service officers.
Concerns over the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were expressed, in particular, by the Foreign Ministries of Russia and other states, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US State Department, the UN, NATO, the ICRC and other international structures. The CSTO also expressed serious concern over the exacerbation 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-
"Last night, the enemy violated ceasefire about 120 times shelling along the entire border of Armenia. Mostly small arms, including large-caliber ones, were used. No artillery and other large-caliber weapons were used," he said.
Hovhannisyan said that the fire was carried out not only in that part of the Tavush province where the fighting took place, but in all areas, including in the section of Noyemberyan.
"The shelling was also in the region of Gegharkunik region on the front of the 2nd army corps and in the Nakhichevan direction in the region of the 4th and 5th army corps," he said.
In general, he noted that the tension has significantly decreased.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is historically Armenian territory. Today it is the exclave of Azerbaijan and has the status of an autonomous state within the Republic of Azerbaijan.
About escalation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border
Since July 12, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been carrying out aggressive actions against Armenia in the north-east direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The enemy attempted to violate the state border in the Tavush region of Armenia using a tank, mortars, howitzers, drones and Grad MLRS. The shelling targeted Armenian strongholds, several villages and the city of Berd. After the lull of July 15, on the night of July 16, Azerbaijan troops again attempted raids in the Aygepara section, but after suffering numerous losses, they was thrown back, continuing shelling of the settlements.
The Armenian Armed Forces is providing a proportionate response to periodic shelling and suppressing the enemy’s activity. For the entire period, the air defense units of the Armenian army destroyed Azerbaijan’s control system of UAVs, 13 drones, a tank and artillery batteries.
According to preliminary data, as of Thursday, 36 soldiers were injured as a result of attacks on Armenian strongholds (16 of them were light abrasions, 20 were hospitalized and received medical care, one was in serious condition), 4 soldiers were killed and 6 cars were damaged. As a result of shelling of peaceful settlements in Tavush, 24 houses, a brandy factory and a winery, a kindergarten, a cemetery, 4 cars, a water main, a gas pipeline and a greenhouse were damaged, as well as a police checkpoint, in which 2 police officers were injured. In addition, one civilian was also wounded. Azerbaijan officially confirmed the death of 11 servicemen, the Armenian side reported the death of at least 10 more Azerbaijani special service officers.
Concerns over the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were expressed, in particular, by the Foreign Ministries of Russia and other states, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US State Department, the UN, NATO, the ICRC and other international structures. The CSTO also expressed serious concern over the exacerbation 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-
