BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 16
Trend:
The Armenian armed forces again tried to attack the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16, 2020, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Trend reports.
“The civilian infrastructure was fired from large-caliber small arms and artillery in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam, Dondar Gushchu and Vahidli villages,” the statement said. “One Azerbaijani serviceman was killed during the battles.”
“While grossly violating the norms and principles of the international law, including the international humanitarian law, Armenia, which continues its bloody aggression and subversive activity, openly demonstrates its intention to commit new acts of aggression and, by using force, to strengthen the effects of its aggressive policy,” the statement said.
"We reiterate that the only culprit of tension in the region is Armenia, which occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and the adjacent seven districts of Azerbaijan, violated the fundamental rights and freedoms of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis and directly creating the obstacles to the peaceful settlement of the [Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh] conflict,” the statement said.
“The Armenian leadership, which is trying to strengthen its aggressive foreign policy and divert the attention of the international community from its responsibility for the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and to hide its unsuccessful domestic policy, must realize that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the fact of the occupation of internationally recognized territories and a centimeter of Azerbaijani lands will not remain under occupation,” the statement said.
“Azerbaijan has always stated that it is a supporter of the political settlement of the conflict; however, this must not mean that the negotiations will continue forever,” the statement said. “Azerbaijan supports the result-oriented negotiations and expects the mediation efforts to be made by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group exactly in this sphere.”
“The Armenian leadership is fully responsible for the tension on the front line and all possible consequences,” the statement said.
Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan’s 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.
Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.
Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.
The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.
During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenia’s military unit.
Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.
The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.
Another serviceman of the extended military service of the Azerbaijani army, Private Nazim Ismayilov died in the battle in the direction of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 16.