ArmInfo. James Appathurai, Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, reacted to recent events on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
As Appathurai notes, the parties should take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation. <We are watching with concern the events on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which heavy weapons are used and as a result people are killed. We reiterate the appeals of the Minsk Group co-chairs that all parties should take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation>, Appathurai wrote on his Facebook page. On the afternoon of July 12, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, for reasons unknown to the Armenian side, attempted to violate the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the Tavush direction using an UAZ car. After warning the Armenian side, leaving the UAZ car, the enemy troops returned to their positions, and then, using artillery fire, tried to capture the Armenian stronghold, but were thrown back by the fire, causing casualties. All night from July 12 to July 13 and all yesterday, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces subjected to intensive firing of 82 mm mortars, tanks, 120 mm grenade launchers from the aforementioned strong point. Also used strike drones.
The Armenian side warned the enemy that all responsibility for further aggravation of the situation would fall on the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan.
According to an official statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan on July 12, during the incident, four servicemen of the Azerbaijani army were killed and several were injured. But, the media already circulated information about 17 dead from the Azerbaijani side. The Azerbaijani authorities are trying to shift the responsibility for the situation to the Armenian side, and baselessly accuse Yerevan of trying to draw a third party into the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The AR Ministry of Defense also reports a violation of the ceasefire in the direction of Nakhichevan.
On July 14, the Azerbaijani defense department confirmed the death of another 7 of its military, including Major General and Lieutenant Colonel.
According to the latest information from the Armenian side, the Armenian Armed Forces have four dead servicemen, two policemen and three servicemen were injured.
On July 13, the enemy subjected to shelling the border communities of Chinari and Aygepar, there were no casualties among the civilian population, but the veins of the building were damaged. And on July 14, attacked the civilian infrastructure of the city of Byrd from shock drones.
It is also worth noting that in this situation, the Turkish side took an active position, expressing unconditional support for Baku.