Armenia violates ceasefire with Azerbaijan

Armenian armed forces have broken the ceasefire with Azerbaijan 78 times in numerous positions in the last 24 hours, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said July 17.

Armenian armed forces located in the village of Doveh of Armenia’s Noyemberyan district, opened fire at the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces located in the village of Kemerli of Gazakh district.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani positions located in the villages of Munjuglu, Alibeyli and Aghbulag of Tovuz district, underwent fire from the positions located on the nameless heights and in the villages of Aygepar and Chinari of Armenia’s Berd district.

Another ceasefire violation came from the positions located near the village of Gulustan of Goranboy district, Chileburt, Goyarkh, Chayli of Terter, Shuraabad, Shikhlar, Javahirli, Kengerli, Sarijali, Yusifjanli, Merzili of Aghdam, Kuropatkino of Khojavend, Gorgan, Garakhanbeyli, Horadiz, Ashagi Seyidahmadli of Fizuli, Mehdili of Jabrayil, as well as on the nameless heights of Goranboy, Khojavend, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts.

The opposing side was silenced with return fire.

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 the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

/By Trend/