BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 13
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar expressed his concerns for tense situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Trend reports on July 13.
“Very concerned about exchange of fire on Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Important for both countries to show restraint and to use all channels of communication, both direct and the good offices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs,” he tweeted.
Member of European Parliament Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria) called the events very disturbing.
“Very disturbing news from Azerbaijan-Armenia border. I urge all parties to refrain from violence and respect the territorial integrity of Internationally recognised borders,” he said on Twitter.
As earlier reported, starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions. Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat, suffering losses.
Servicemen of the Azerbaijan Army, sergeant Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov died holding off an Armenian attack. Despite the efforts of Azerbaijani doctors, a badly wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijan Army, soldier Khayyam Dashdamirov has also died.
On the night of July 12-13, tensions continued on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border in the Tovuz district’s direction.
In the night battles involving artillery, mortars and tanks, Azerbaijani military divisions destroyed the stronghold, artillery installations, equipment and manpower of an Armenian military unit.
During the battles, the senior lieutenant of the Azerbaijani army, Rashid Mahmudov was killed.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.