Azerbaijan announced a "retaliation operation" in response to Armenia's actions
Yerevan accused Baku of shelling on the border, which killed two Armenian soldiers. Azerbaijan called the incident a "retaliation operation" in response to the attack of the Armenian Armed Forces on February 12, in which an Azerbaijani border guard was wounded - Armenia then promised to investigate and punish those responsible.
The Armenian Defense Ministry accused Azerbaijan of shelling Armenian forces near the village of Nerkin Khanda in the Syunik region, as a result of which two Armenian soldiers were killed and several others were injured. At the same time, Chairman of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly of Armenia Andranik Kocharyan announced four dead.
The shelling of the Armenian positions was conducted from 03.00 to 06.00, the head of the Nerkin Khand administrative region Khachatur Baghdasaryan told ArmLur.
"The guns were not used, but there was a strong roar from the shooting. Mortars or something is unclear," local resident Norik Danielyan told Sputnik Armenia.
According to him, there were no victims in the settlement.
"Operation Retaliation"
The State Border Guard Service of Azerbaijan confirmed the strike on Armenian positions, calling it a "retaliation operation."
"In response to yesterday's provocation by the Armenian Armed Forces, a combat post near the settlement of Nerkin-And in the Gafan district was completely destroyed, from where an Azerbaijani soldier was wounded by sniper fire the day before," the ministry said in a statement.
On February 12, the Azerbaijani State Border Service reported that the Armenian armed Forces opened fire on the border, as a result of which Azerbaijani border guard Parviz Agakishi oglu Khalilzade was wounded.
The soldier was evacuated by helicopter to the hospital, and medical assistance was provided to him. The Military Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan has opened a criminal case under the article "attempted murder with intent of national, racial or religious hatred."
After reports of a shooting at the border, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that it was conducting its own investigation.
Subsequently, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry accused Armenia of another attack on February 12:
"At 20:50 and 23:40, units of the Armenian armed forces from positions in the direction of Chinarly settlement of Tovuzgaly district fired small arms at positions of the Azerbaijani Army in the direction of Kohanabi settlement of Tovuz district."
The Armenian Defense Ministry rejected these statements.
"A blow to the peace process"
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reacted to the incident.
"This provocation by the Armenian side is a serious blow to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In conditions of stability over the past 4-5 months, such provocative actions clearly contradict the declared peaceful messages of Armenia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"The military and political leadership of Armenia is responsible for such provocations against Azerbaijan," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
In turn, Ambassador-at-Large of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Edmond Marukyan on the social network X called the incident an "unprovoked aggression" of Azerbaijan against Armenia.
Alexey Permyakov