YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Overnight January 15-16 Azerbaijani forces carried out intense shelling of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR) posts in eastern and north-eastern parts. In some parts NKR forces took countermeasures to suppress the Azerbaijan aggression, the NKR defense ministry told ARMENPRESS.

The ministry issued a statement, saying: “The Azerbaijani defense ministry’s January 15 statement on Azerbaijani soldier Fikret Nurshiravanoghlu Bashirov being killed by NKR fire is false. We would advise the Azerbaijani side to seek the reasons of their soldier’s death in interpersonal non-statutory conduct inside their army.

Moreover, overnight January 15-16 Azerbaijani forces continued intense ceasefire violations along the entire line of contact, firing 60mm and 82mm mortars in addition to small arms. NKR posts positioned in the eastern and north-eastern parts came under severe shelling, where Azerbaijan fired 51 shells from 60mm mortars and 3 shells from 82mm mortars.

In some parts the NKR forces had to take countermeasures to suppress the Azerbaijani aggression. Azerbaijan bears the entire responsibility for the consequences of further escalation in the frontline. In case of Azerbaijan continues such conduct, the countermeasures of the NKR forces will be more severe.

On January 15, at 23:35, 21 year old NKR soldier Garik Vardanyan, who had been wounded on December 30, 2016 by Azerbaijani fire, died in Yerevan’s Central Military Hospital.

The defense ministry of NKR extends its condolences to the family and friends of the fallen soldier.”