Yerevan Says Baku Will be Held Responsible for Further Provocations
A soldier of the Armenian Armed Forces was killed in the early hours of Monday by Azerbaijani sniper fire at the northeastern section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported that Ashot Mikayelyan was killed at around 1:10 a.m. local time Monday when Azerbaijani forces used sniper fire against Armenia.
Mikaeyelyan is the the sixth soldier who has been killed since Azerbaijan launched a brazen attack on civilian and military targets in Armenia’s Tavush Province on July 12.
Last week, 19-year-old private Artur Muradyan, who was severely injured during the heavy fighting in the week of July 12, died. Armenia’s Defense Ministry had reported the deaths of Major Garush Hambardzumyan, Captain Sos Elbakyan and privates Smbat Gabrielyan and Grisha Matevosyan a week earlier.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry was quick to condemn Azerbaijan’s continued provocations at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, saying Baku was undermining the efforts of international mediators who are attempting to de-escalate tensions.
“It should be stressed that Azerbaijan resorted to this provocation a few days after a statement issued by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, which specifically emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to the ceasefire and refraining from provocative actions in this period,” Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan said Monday.
“At the same time, Azerbaijan announced joint large-scale military exercises to be held with Turkey. This demonstrates that the leadership of Azerbaijan, through its provocative actions, is undermining the efforts of the international mediators aimed at de-escalating the situation and resuming the peace process, thus bearing the responsibility for the consequences of further destabilization,” emphasized Naghdalyan.
“Azerbaijan should publicly renounce the use of force, abandon its maximalist approaches, and take credible steps to strengthen the ceasefire, which will make possible the resumption and advancement of the peace process,” added Naghdalyan.
AZERBAIJAN COLL US COWARD THY ARE COWARD THY ARE LAYERS WE MUST TOUGH TO THEM.
I have never been to Armenia, my country of origin and 100% from Armenian parents and grandparents. As a child I used to laugh at the ridiculous stories of genocide, as I didn’t comprehend that a human being could possibly be so cruel against another human being. I live in Australia now, served in the army, and wish I was younger to join in the fight. I know, deep in my heart, no one will be able to destroy us, they tried for years and years. R.I.P. to all our heroes.Hayastan 4 ever.
Why can’t you go fight? Armenia will need their diaspora more now then ever.
Azerbaijan must have a bounty on the killing of Armenian soldiers by sniper fire
One would think that is against the Geneva Convention rules
Waiting for the civilized world to condemn this in the strongest terms.
I would hope to see a response in kind.
The rules of war do not seem to matter any more…
now that papa turkey has their back, Azeris feel free to attack with impunity… they only understand one thing … that is the hammer of death on their skulls..so be it… I only hope that Putin has Armenia’s back…. hard to say with Putin’s overtures to Erdogan…the coming days will tell. USA completely useless and indeed has probably given green light to Erdogan while lard ass Pompeo initiates WWIII with Chinese… any day now Jesus our return is fine with me!