Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 2
Trend:
The information that the population of Azerbaijan's Terter district allegedly leaves their homes due to the provocation by Armenians on the front line is false, head of the executive power of the country's Terter district Mustagim Mammadov told Trend Apr. 2.
On the night of Apr. 2, all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the frontline densely populated by civilians were fired at.
Mammadov said that all residents of the Terter district remain in their homes and continue their everyday activities.
"Everything is fine," he said. "The population of the district doesn't panic. Tensions are observed on the front line, there is a skirmish underway. Azerbaijani population relies on the country's soldiers and is ready to provide them any support."
Mammadov said that the disseminated information that the police are allegedly involved in withdrawal of the district's population from their villages is an absolute lie.
"Why should the police be involved?" he said. "There are enough soldiers on the front line. Involvement of the police is not necessary. Everything is under control. The Terter district's population is ready to provide any necessary assistance to soldiers."
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, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.