Azernews.Az

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has condemned the Armenian military-political leadership over the deadly clashes that erupted on the state border over the night of September 12-13, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

“We declare once again that the military-political leadership of Armenia bears the entire responsibility for the provocations, confrontation, and losses,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions during the night of September 12. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijan army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

Clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities.

“The Armenian armed forces stationed in the directions of Basarkechar, Istisu, Garakilsa, and Gorus settlements, using various caliber weapons and mortars subjected to intensive fire some positions, shelters, and strongholds of the Azerbaijan Army in the territory of Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts. As a result, there were losses among the military personnel, and the military infrastructure was damaged,” the ministry detailed.

The Azerbaijan military units stationed in these areas took decisive retaliatory measures to suppress the provocations of the Armenian armed forces and military threats to Azerbaijan's territory and sovereignty, as well as to ensure the safety of military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure construction in Kalbajar and Lachin districts, the ministry emphasized.

“Necessary measures are being taken to suppress the firing points of the Armenian armed forces and to prevent the expansion of the scale of the confrontation. There are losses among the manpower and combat equipment of the Armenian armed forces involved in sabotage operations,” it stressed.

The ministry added that over the past month, the Armenian armed forces, using various calibers of weapons, periodically and systematically fired on Azerbaijani military positions in the districts of Lachin, Gadabay, Dashkasan, and Kalbajar on the state border. At the same time, Armenia was seen concentrating offensive weaponry, heavy artillery, and military forces around the Azerbaijani border.

“All these once again prove that Armenia is getting prepared for a large-scale military provocation,” the ministry emphasized.

According to the ministry, by resorting to provocations, Armenia is seeking to slow down the large-scale civil infrastructure projects carried out by Azerbaijan in the liberated border areas, as well as to raise tensions along the Azerbaijani borders.

More details on the incident will be made available to the public, the ministry said.

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