Azernews.Az

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located in the Qizilhacili village of Gazakh region and Kokhanebi village of Tovuz region from the positions located in Berkaber village of Ijevan region and the nameless heights of Berd region of Armenia on October 17-18.

Also, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were fired from the positions located near Garakhanbeyli village of Fizuli region, Shikhlar and Yusifjanli villages of Agdam region, Chilaburt village of Tartar region and Tapgaragoyunlu village of Goranboy region.

The shooting was countered by return fire.

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 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.