Defense Ministry: Azerbaijani army’ attacks inevitable in case Armenia refuses to comply with UNSC resolutions

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry has announced that in case the Armenian side does not comply with UN Security Council resolutions on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the Azerbaijani armed forces’ attacks are inevitable.

The Defense Ministry issued such a statement in response to Armenian criminal military-political regime's allegations that the Azerbaijani side would attack the opposite side on the eve of May 8-9, Azertac reports.

"The Armenians should every day, every instant, every hour wait for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces taking steps towards liberation of our lands and fully ensuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," the statement reads.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.

The Defense Ministry further stated that Azerbaijani armed forces are able and completely ready to liberate the occupied lands.

“The Armenians must leave the Azerbaijani territories and put an end to the occupation if they do not want to die and live in fear and anxiety waiting for their death," the Defense Ministry said.

Long-simmering tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared again on April 2 when the Armenian side began to shell the Azerbaijani positions and settlements along the frontline. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and repulsed the enemy forces back. On April 5, the two sides agreed on a ceasefire. However, the Armenian forces commit armistice breaches on the frontline almost every day targeting civilians and shelling villages.