Armenian forces fire at Azerbaijan's military positions

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) – The Armenian forces fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army at several locations, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The ministry noted that using small arms, the Armenian armed forces in the Zarkend settlement of the Basarkechar region periodically resorted to unprovoked firing at the Azerbaijan army positions in the Barmagbina settlement of the Kalbajar region on Monday evening.

Also, early Tuesday, the positions of the Azerbaijani forces in the Aghbulag settlement of the Tovuz region were fired at from the positions in the Chinarli settlement of the Tovuzgala region, the statement added.

“The Azerbaijani army took adequate retaliatory measures,” it said.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, with the Armenian army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and around 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.

Prior to that, about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory was under illegal occupation.

The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, which was seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia.

Two months later, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. It also included the establishment of a trilateral working group on Karabakh.

Despite the cease-fire agreement, Armenian forces periodically subject to fire the positions of the Azerbaijani army, according to the latter's Defense Ministry.