ISLAMABAD,(Parliament Times):The armed forces of Armenia attempted to attack, using artillery, in
order to seize positions in the direction of Tovuz district along the state border between
Azerbaijan and Armenia. The attack of the Armenian forces was prevented by
retaliatory measures. As a result of the combat, four servicemen of the Azerbaijani army
were killed and five others were wounded. The Armenian provocation and shelling of
Azerbaijani military positions, as well as civilian populated villages across the
Azerbaijan-Armenia border from large-caliber artillery and mortars are still continued, till
today. The military analysis of the recent tension in the direction of Tovuz district of the
Azerbaijani-Armenian state border shows that the provocation was started by Armenia.
Armenia has purposefully prepared itself for this provocation. The Armenian side
suddenly started to use artillery, and as a result, the Azerbaijani servicemen were killed.
The losses at the Armenian side were caused afterwards – by the retaliatory fire of the
Azerbaijani army.
Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan allegedly attacked Armenian positions with a UAZ
military vehicle, which sounds very ridiculous and nonsense. Had Azerbaijan wanted to
attack Armenia, it would not have used light UAZ military vehicle, but armored fighting
vehicles and other destructive heavy military suitable for offensive operations, existing
in the disposal of its army.
Armenia's purpose in committing this provocation was not only to divert attention from
the difficult socio-economic situation in the country and the deplorable situation with
regard to COVID-19. The aim was also to involve the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO, which includes six countries of the former Soviet Union and does
not enjoy any mandate with regard to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict)
into the conflict by creating tensions on its state border. Armenia is trying to enslave the
CSTO countries in its ugly policy and hide itself behind this organization.
Common sense prevailed within the CSTO, and the organization's scheduled
extraordinary Permanent Council meeting on the issue was canceled. The CSTO
countries also understand very well Armenia's insidious intentions.
This provocative act of the Armenian armed forces should be seen as a continuation of
the recent actions and statements of the leadership of aggressor state Armenia, which
serve to increase tensions in the region. Recently, Armenia was trying to strengthen its
military capabilities and was concentrating military equipment near the line of contact,
which proves that it had plans to attack military positions of Azerbaijan. Moreover,
Armenian armed forces started to open fire on the nearby residential settlements as
well, putting the lives of civilian population under danger.
Armenia has purposefully prepared for this provocative offensive, which aimed to
avenge Azerbaijan for its successful counteroffensive military operations in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in response to Armenian April 2016
provocations, which resulted with liberation of more than 2000 hectares of Azerbaijani
land from Armenian occupation, including the strategically important height of Leletepe
and new positions on the Talish Mountain, as well as liberation of 11 thousand hectares
of Nakhchevani land of Azerbaijan, including village of Junnut, by Azerbaijan Army, in
2018.
Armenia, which has reflected its aggressive policy in the country's recently adopted
national security strategy, openly demonstrates that it aims to seize new positions and
increase tensions in the region instead of eliminating the consequences of the conflict
and withdrawing its occupying forces from the internationally recognized territories of
Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in this regard: "On the one hand,
Armenian leadership appeals to the international community and asks for help to
strengthen the ceasefire on the line of contact of the troops, on the other hand, by
carrying out military provocations, it seeks to attack the territory of Azerbaijan, seize our
positions, expose the civilian population, our villages".
This provocation by Armenia casts serious doubt on the essence of the negotiations
mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (Russia, USA and France) on the
settlement of the Armenia – Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the
implementation of UN Security Council resolutions which demand immediate, full and
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan.
