Azernews.Az

Baku has informed the world community that Armenia attacked civilians close to the frontline and shelled positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces on the line of contact.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated about it his letter sent to member states of the OSCE Minsk Group, CIS countries, OSCE chairperson-in-office and three countries chairing the organization, secretary-generals of the UN, OIC, NATO, as well as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

“The Azerbaijani army took necessary measures to stop the Armenian provocations and ensure security of the civilians in its internationally recognized borders,” the letter further reads.

“The main reason for the continuation of the conflict and escalating tension is the illegal presence of the Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. According to resolutions of the Security Council, the United Nations reaffirmed that Nagorno-Karabakh region is an integral part of Azerbaijan and demanded unconditional, complete, immediate withdrawal of the Armenian occupying troops from Azerbaijan`s lands.”

The FM also noted that Armenia must stop misleading its people and international community, end its policy of invasion, withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, fulfil its international commitments, and participate in the negotiations in a constructive manner.

The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijan’s positions.

To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region.

Despite Azerbaijan's decision on unilateral suspension of the counter-attacks and response measures in the territories occupied by Armenia, as well as calls of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and world community to cease military operations and restore the ceasefire, the Armenian forces resumed shelling of Azerbaijani positions along the line of contact on the night of April 4, the situation on the contact line deteriorated again.

For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.

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