Human Rights Defender: Azerbaijani troops open fire on Armenian sovereign territory

Azerbaijani authorities are responsible for killing 2 Armenian servicemen and wounding other servicemen, disrupting security of Armenia’s civilian population, Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan wrote on his Facebook.

“Today, at around 5:30 pm, the RA [Republic of Armenia -ed.] Human Rights Defender received alarms that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened intense fire especially in the direction of the positions of the RA Armed Forces located near the villages Norabak, Verin Shorzha and Nerkin Shorzha of the Gegharkunik province of Armenia. Civilians of Kut village also could hear artillery.

The facts collected by the Human Rights Defender’s Office confirm that the fire is being carried out mainly from the Azerbaijani positions, located in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia; these are incursions of May 2021.

These locations are in the immediate vicinity of the villages of Armenia; they are present in pastures, arable lands and grasslands that belong to people and their locations have no legal bases.

Today’s Azerbaijani attacks, as confirmed by the RA Ministry of Defense, were carried out using artillery and drones. The aggressive fire is in the immediate vicinity of the villages of Armenia, in a way posing a real danger for life and security, other vital rights of the civilian population.

Therefore, the RA Armed Forces carry out direct protection of life and health of the RA civilian population, ensure security of the people.

The Azerbaijani authorities are acting in clear violation of international rules: they are responsible for crimes committed: killing 2 Armenian servicemen in Gegharkunik today, for violating their right to life, for harming the health of wounded servicemen, as well as for disrupting the security of the civilian population and aggression against people,” he said.