STEPANAKERT. - Judging by the incomparably intensive course of mortar and reactive rocket attacks and the shellings from large-scale weapons by the adversary on the line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani opposing forces, it can be stated that Azerbaijan’s military and political leadership has adopted the criminal tactics of shifting the conflict settlement from the table of negotiations to the field of force, the statement disseminated by the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry reads.

“The shellings at the civilian residences and the attacks in the direction of the military positions, which are increasingly getting cynical and purposeful in nature, show that through intentional and provocative measures the adversary tends to infuse developments fraught with unprecedented consequences.

Considering the situation emerged, the NKR Ministry of Defense once again draws the attention of the international community and especially the institutions dealing with the peaceful settlement of the Azerbijani-Karabakh conflict, to the destructive and provocative policy adopted by Baku. We also inform that the responsibility for any consequence resulting from the situation emerged will be born by no one else but the Azerbaijani side.”  

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelled at one of the north-eastern protection areas of the NKR Defense Army unit today at about 5:30 p.m. The fire was opened from Turkish-made TR-107 reactive rocket propelled howitzers.

Consequently, NKR Defense Army soldiers Norayr Mikayel Khacatryan (b. 1995), Robert Suren Mkrtchyan (b. 1995), Harut Maxim Hakobyan (b. 1997) and Karen Gevorg Shahinyan (b. 1997) died from shrapnel wounds. There are also wounded. 

Investigation is conducted to find out the details of the incident.