Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The outgoing year will be remembered for frequent ceasefire violations and aggravation of the situation on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops.

No progress was observed in the negotiation process to settle the prolonged Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that is a big hindrance in ensuring the stability in the South Caucasus region.

Armenia’s sabotage and provocative moves on the contact line aggravated since early 2015, and still the Armenian side continues to shell Azerbaijani positions and settlements located near the contact line.

Last week, the Armenian military increased the provocative moves on the frontline, however, forced to retreat after the strong response of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Azerbaijani Army has destroyed two Armenian drones while they were attempting to fly over the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

On December 14, Azerbaijani Armed Forces have destroyed a firing point of Armenian Armed Forces preventing the enemy provocation on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops. As a result of a strike inflicted by the Azerbaijani Army, the Armenian side lost at least three servicemen.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry repeatedly warned that Azerbaijan’s army will take retaliatory measures to destroy positions and military objects of the enemy.

Armenia’s sabotage on the contact line in fact, has turned against it, as its losses are increasing day by day. The Armenian side earlier reported about the death of 63 soldiers in the past 11 months of this year.

However, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claims that Armenia’s military junta at least twice reduced the number of its combat losses in order to escape rise of another wave of protests in the country.

In addition to deceiving its people, the Armenian side also disseminates false information about the real situation on the contact line.

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s reaction to the Armenian lies and reports was not unequivocal. The ministry has dismissed recent Armenian media reports that Armenian military allegedly destroyed a drone belonging to the Azerbaijani Army and called them fictitious.

Noting that it is only nonsense, the ministry added with sarcasm that “one day Armenians can also tell stories about downing Azerbaijani “flying tank”.

Unfortunately, despite numerous losses the occupant forces, which are keeping 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territories under control, does not give up provocations on the contact line of troops.

The international community’s calls on Armenia to abide by the ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan are still ignored by Yerevan that deteriorate situation even more.

In the midst of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the OSCE is expected to monitor the contact line on December 16.

However, such monitoring does not give any results, as Armenia does not even abstain from violating ceasefire during monitoring by OSCE representatives.

Tough the Armenian side has repeatedly shelled the OSCE mission, the latter didn’t expose true guilty of the current situation every time calling on both sides to follow ceasefire regime.

The mission’s failure to name the violator gives grounds for occupant Armenia to repeat its criminal deeds.

Regular violations of the ceasefire, armed attacks on civilians, show that Armenia is not interested in resolving the conflict through peaceful means. Armenia’s true purpose is to continue the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and maintain the status quo by all means.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Armenia continues the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Peace talks brokered by mediators from Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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