Armenian Armed Forces suffer many losses on contact line
By Aynur Karimova
Armenian Armed Forces have suffered many losses as a result of the strikes carried out by the Azerbaijani Army in a response to the ceasefire violations by Armenian troops on October 9.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported on October 10 that up to six Armenian servicemen have been killed and many injured, while one Azerbaijani serviceman was injured during the military clashes that took place along the contact lines of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Armies.
Azerbaijani units fully control the operational situation on the frontline, said the ministry.
Despite numerous calls by the international community to adhere to the ceasefire regime, the Armenian Armed Forces continue to escalate tensions on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops.
They have shattered ceasefire a total of 42 times throughout the day, the ministry said on October 12.
Armenian units, located in the village of Berkaber in Ijevan district, opened fire on Azerbaijani positions in the village of Gizilhajili in Gazakh district.
Another ceasefire violation came from the positions located near the villages of Chileburt, Gizil Oba in Terter district; Sarijali, Kengerli, Shikhlar, Novruzlu, Shuraabad, Javahirli in Aghdam district; Kuropatkino in Khojavend; Horadiz, Ashagi Seyidahmadli in Fizuli; and Mehdili in Jabrayil district.
Moreover, Azerbaijani forces took fire from positions located along the nameless heights of the Goranboy, Khojavend, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces retaliated with 48 strikes on enemy positions.
The tense situation along the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops, as well as frequent shelling by the Armenian military has put the lives of the residents of Azerbaijan’s frontline settlements in danger and has resulted in casualties.
For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict that emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on a pullout from the neighboring country's territories.
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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova
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