Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

The situation remains tense on the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry reported on April 5.

Realizing that it will fail to return back territories liberated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the enemy continues to shell settlements in the direction of Khojavend-Fizuli and Agdere-Terter.

During the counter-attack carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, up to 70 people and around 20 military equipment of Armenia were destroyed from April 4 to the morning of April 5.

The Azerbaijani armed forces have completely destroyed the headquarters of enemy’s strategically important military base in Madagiz, which is located on the main road to Agdere region, according to the defense ministry. The Armenian side also lost three main battle tanks and their crews holding defensive positions.

Moreover, to minimize damages caused to residential areas from the opposite side Azerbaijan’s armed forces annihilated two enemy tanks and their crew, as well as five wheeled vehicles loaded with military equipment on Khojavand-Fizuli direction.

The loss of the Azerbaijani army was 16 people in the past two days, according to the ministry.

During the last night, the enemy shelled Azerbaijani settlements near the frontline densely populated by civilians as well. Thus, Armenian armed forces 120 times violated ceasefire on various parts of the contact line between the troops using 60, 82 and 120-millimeter mortars, grenade launchers and large-caliber machine-guns.

Azerbaijani positions located in the village of Gizilhajili of the Gazakh district were fired at by Armenians stationed in the Berkaber village of Armenia's Ijevan district.

Armenian military stationed in the Aygepar village of Armenia's Berd district opened fire at the Azerbaijani army positions in the Alibayli village of the Tovuz district.

Azerbaijani army positions, located on nameless heights in Azerbaijan's Gadabay district, were fired at by the Armenian military stationed on nameless heights in Armenia's Krasnoselsk district.

Armenian army also opened fire from positions near the Gulustan village of the Goranboy district, the Goyarkh, Yarimja, Chilaburt villages of the Tartar district, the Shikhlar, Bash Garvand, Javahirli, Sarijali, Kangarli, Novruzlu, Shuraabad, Merzili, Yusifjanli villages of the Aghdam district, the Kuropatkino village of the Khojavand district, the Garakhanbeyli, Horadiz, Gorgan, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages of the Fizuli district and the Mehdili village of the Jabrayil district.

Armenians also opened fire upon the Azerbaijani army positions from nameless heights in the Goygol, Goranboy, Khojavand, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts. Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted 126 strikes upon Armenian positions.

To protect civilians the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry once again threatened to carry out missile blow on Khankendi city.

"We have warned that Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov has issued an order to be ready for the missile blow on Khankendi if they continue shelling the settlements along the contact line in Karabakh,” spokesperson for the ministry, Vagif Dargahli told on April 5. “The Armenian side has been shelling settlements in Agdere and Fizuli directions over the night. By their actions they bring close a blow to Khankendi.”

The Defense Minister ordered on April 4 the Armed Forces to stand ready to launch devastating strikes on Khankendi.

“Acting inhumanly, the Armenian side provokes Azerbaijan to take counter measures despite the continuous warnings made by Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry to the Armenian side," said the message. "Azerbaijan once again calls on Armenia to respect the international law and norms and stop the use of lethal force against civilians”.

Long-simmering tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared again on April 2 when the Armenian side began to shell the Azerbaijani positions and settlements along the frontline.

To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and repulsed the enemy forces back. Six Armenian tanks, 15 gun mounts and reinforced engineering structures have been destroyed and more than 100 Armenian servicemen were wounded and killed during the shootouts.

Twelve servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces heroically died, one Mi-24 helicopter was shot down and one tank damaged by a mine.

Despite Azerbaijan's decision on unilateral suspension of the counter-attacks and response measures in the territories occupied by Armenia, the Armenian Armed Forces resumed shelling of Azerbaijani positions along the line of contact on the night of April 4, further deteriorating the situation on the contact line.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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