Azerbaijan says Armenia tries to conduct reconnaissance flights over Nakhchivan, Lachin

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan on Sunday said that Armenia attempted to conduct reconnaissance flights over the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and the Lachin region.

“A quadcopter belonging to illegal Armenian armed groups (also) attempted to conduct reconnaissance flights over the positions of our units located in the direction of Tagaverd village (in the) Khojavend district,” a statement by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

The statement stated that the attempts were prevented following immediate measures taken by the Azerbaijani military.

It said that Armenian forces opened fire at Azerbaijani military positions in the Kalbajar district and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

“On July 8, from 22:35 to 23:10 (1835GMT to 1910GMT), the positions of our army located in the Shusha and Kalbajar districts were also fired upon by members of illegal Armenian armed groups in the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed,” the statement said, adding that retaliatory measures were taken.

The statement further said that activities of illegal Armenian armed groups attempting to “expand supply roads in various directions, dig trenches, prepare shelters, as well as install surveillance cameras in combat positions,” were stopped by countermeasures taken by Azerbaijani forces.

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

In the fall of 2020 in 44 days of fighting, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation. The Russian-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.

Despite ongoing peace agreement talks between Baku and Yerevan, tensions between the neighboring countries have escalated in recent months due to the Lachin corridor, which serves as the sole land route providing Armenia access to Karabakh.