3 minute read
YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – Ambassador Igor Popov (Russia), Ambassador Stephane Visconti (France), and Ambassador Richard Hoagland (US) – issued a statement over the escalation of the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact on July 4, reports Armenpress.
The statement says:
“The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – Ambassador Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Stephane Visconti of France, and Ambassador Richard Hoagland of the United States - have received information of renewed violence late in the evening on July 4 at Alkhanli village of Fizuli region that resulted in casualties, including civilians.
The Minsk Group Co-Chairs urgently call upon the sides to cease military action. Violence only begets further violence and accomplishes nothing. The only responsible and humane way to resolve this long-standing conflict is for the sides to return to the negotiation table in good faith.
The Co-Chairs extend their condolences to the families of the victims”.
The Azerbaijani armed forces continued violating the ceasefire regime in different sections of Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on July 4. Particularly, in the period of 11:30-11:35 the Azerbaijani troops fired 82 mm mortars (4 projectiles) in the eastern direction of the contact line and anti-tank missiles (3 projectiles) in the same section at about 12:45-12:55. In the southern direction the Azerbaijanis fired 60 mm mortars (3 projectiles) at 13:35, while at the period of 20:20-20:30 the Azerbaijani armed forces fired 5 projectiles from TR-107 multiple rocket launcher from a military position located in Alkhanlu village in the direction of a command post of a regiment located in the southern direction, and at 20:48 3 projectiles were fired in the same direction from 82 mm mortars. The front line units of the Defense Army had no alternative but take retaliatory measures to suppress the enemy's aggressive activity at 20:31-20:40, as a result of which the military position of Azerbaijan in Alkhanlu village was damaged. According to credible information from the relevant services of the Defense Army, the enemy has suffered losses. The Defense Army suffered no casualties as a result of the provocative actions initiated by Azerbaijan.