ArmInfo. Turkey will not hesitate to oppose any "encroachments" on the rights and lands of Azerbaijan. This statement was made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on the clashes on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"Turkey strongly condemns the attacks from Armenia against friendly and fraternal Azerbaijan," the Turkish leader said, while allegedly expressing concern that many years of tension grew into clashes. At the same time, Erdogan assured that the provocation committed on the border between the two states with the use of heavy weapons indicates that what is happening is a "deliberate attack on Azerbaijan." "This attack is an event that goes beyond the framework of Armenia. The goal is to prevent a settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as create new centers of conflict," President Erdogan noted. President Erdogan added that such aggressiveness on the part of Armenia, which is not able to solve numerous internal problems, is first of all disrespect for its own population. It should be noted that the Head of the Ministry of Defense of Turkey Hulusi Akar made an identical statement the day before. "We strongly condemn the attacks of the Armenian side in the Tovuz region of Azerbaijan," the Turkish minister said, Anadolu reports.
According to the Minister, the Turkish Ministry of Defense will continue to provide all possible assistance and support to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces against Armenia.
"We will be close to the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, to support our brothers in accordance with the principle of" one nation, two states, "Akar emphasized. 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. Strike drones were also used.
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 Berd from strike drones. It is also worth noting that in this situation, the Turkish side took an active position, expressing unconditional support for Baku, which were reflected in two statements by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Moreover, the second came from the mouth of the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on the air of TRT Haber. He noted that Turkey, using all the opportunities, is located next to Azerbaijan. "Let Armenia come to its senses," Cavusoglu said.