MoD: Armenian provocation on state border aimed at military confrontation

By Azernews

By Vafa Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has stated that Armenia attempted another provocation on the state border in order to create a military confrontation.

In an official statement posted on its website on November 10, the ministry said: "The Armenian side once again attempted to commit a provocation on the Lachin section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border." 

The ministry stressed that at noon on November 9, about 60 Armenian servicemen on two military trucks moved towards Lake Garagol in Lachin region and settled on the road leading to the Azerbaijani army's positions.

"The Armenian side used metal obstacles to block the Azerbaijan army's path between positions on this section of the border and attempted to strengthen itself in the area in order to create a deliberate military confrontation," the ministry said.

The Azerbaijani army units stationed in this direction took immediate measures in the shortest time, concentrating additional personnel and military equipment in the area.

"As a result of the taken measures about 60 Armenian servicemen were under siege, all their actions were limited, and in the morning, taking into account the request of the Russian side, the Azerbaijani servicemen allowed the Armenian servicemen to return. We state that the military provocation of the Armenian side has failed," the ministry stated.

It pledged "harsh and more effectual measures" if similar provocations repeat in the future.

"We hope that this time disgrace of the Armenian army will be a lesson learned and they will not take such provocative steps in the future. There are no losses among the military personnel of the Azerbaijan army, as well as territory loss. The Azerbaijan army units control the operational situation. The entire responsibility for the recent tension that occurred on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border falls on the military-political leadership of Armenia," the ministry said.

The Azerbaijani foreign and defence ministries earlier described Armenian Defence Minister Arshak Karapetyan's visit to Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region as Armenia's another provocative act.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva underlined that this shows that Armenia is deliberately trying to aggravate the situation.

“And the fact that these steps were taken on the eve of the first anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement serves the purpose of casting a shadow on the activities of the Russian peacekeepers, and in general, this is a violation of the provision of the trilateral statement,” she stated.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry described Karapetyan's unauthorized entry into the Azerbaijani territory, holding meetings with illegal Armenian formations and expressing views on their combat readiness as a military-political provocation.

“The political and military leadership of Armenia, grossly violating the provisions of the trilateral statement, attempts to destabilize the situation in the region and overshadow the activities of Russian peacekeepers,” the ministry stressed.

The ministry emphasized that the visit of the Armenian defence minister once again demonstrates that Armenia continues to directly support irregular Armenian military units, aggressive separatism, and terrorist acts on the Azerbaijani territory.

“We would like to remind the Armenian defence minister of the fate of his former colleagues and other Armenian generals who made utopian claims such as 'impassable Ohanyan line', 'new wars, new territories',” the ministry stated.

“We warn the military-political leadership of Armenia that in case of a continuation of such illegal visits to Azerbaijan’s territory, the necessary measures will be taken to prevent aggressive separatism and terrorist acts in accordance with the legislation of Azerbaijan,” the ministry added.