Armenia renews shelling Azerbaijani positions along state border
By Vugar Khalilov
The Armenian armed forces have renewed shelling of Azerbaijani military positions along the state border, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry.
On October 10, at 2300 hours, units of the Armenian armed forces, using small arms, periodically subjected to fire Azerbaijani military positions stationed in Dashkasan District’s Astaf village from their positions in Basarkhecar (Gegharkunik) region’s Garaiman village, the ministry said.
Similarly, on the same day, starting from 0955 to 1630 hours, units of the Armenian armed forces, using various caliber weapons, periodically shelled Azerbaijani army positions stationed in Dashkasan’s Tazakand, as well as Tovuz District’s Aghbulag villages from their positions in Basarkechar’s Garaiman and Gunashli, as well as Tovuzgala (Tavush) region’s Chinarli villages, the ministry reported earlier.
On both occasions, the Azerbaijani army units took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side, the report added.
The previous similar incidents were registered in the direction of Kalbajar and Gadabay districts on the evening of October 9.
Armenia periodically shells Azerbaijani military positions on liberated territories. Since early September, Azerbaijani positions have multiple times come under Armenian fire.
The major border clashes since the 44-day war (2020) erupted between the sides on the night of September 12 leading to 13, when units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions.
Following the October 6 meeting in Prague between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders under the auspices of EU Council President Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron, all parties reaffirmed their commitment to the peace negotiations while acknowledging each other's territorial integrity.
President Ilham Aliyev praised the EU's efforts in the peace talks during an interview with Azerbaijani TV channels, emphasizing that Azerbaijan and Armenia are gradually reaching peace.
“I do hope that we are slowly getting closer to peace, and I highly appreciate Charles Michel's work in this area. Because, as you know, several trilateral meetings have been held in Brussels, and we are getting closer to peace every time. This four-sided meeting was organized by Charles Michel and Emmanuel Macron, and this meeting discussed important issues. I believe that this meeting will be of tremendous importance in reaching a peace agreement,” Aliyev stressed.
Aliyev added that the peace talks are still ongoing and should not be disrupted.
“The ministers should meet for the second time soon, and we have suggested that after that the working groups of both countries should come together to prepare the text of the peace agreement, perhaps not in one meeting, but over the course of a few days,” he underlined.
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