Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 25
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
The situation on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops remains tense. The Armenian Armed Forces violated ceasefire in different directions 201 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said today.
The Armenian armed forces fired on positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Kohnegishlag village in Agstafa region and the nameless heights in Gazakh region from the nameless heights and the positions near Paravakar village in the Ijevan region of Armenia.
The Armenian armed forces fired on positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Alibayli village of Tovuz region and nameless heights from the positions in Aygepar village in Armenia's Berd region.
Moreover, the Azerbaijani positions were fired on from the nameless heights and positions located near Goradiz, Garakhanbayli, Gorgan, Ashagi Seidahmadli, Ashagi Veyselli, Ashagi Abdurrahmanli in the Fizuli region, Marzili, Yusifjanli, Javakhirli in the Agdam region, Geyarh of Tartar region, Tapgaragoyunlu village in the Goranboy region, Kuropatkino village in the Khojavand region and Mehtili village in the Jabrayil region.
The shooting was countered by return fire.
The situation on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has been recently escalating. Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire status 380 times, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported earlier.
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group expressed their deep concern over continued violence in the region, and stressed that recent incidents undermine negotiations and diminish the prospects for peace, the OSCE Minsk Group said following a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Edward Nalbandian in Paris.
Use of force will not resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said at press briefing on Friday.
"We have seen the reports and regret any loss of life anywhere, but certainly here as well," she said. "And our position remains that the use of force will not resolve this conflict. We call on all parties to refrain from the use or threat of force."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Translated by NH