Armenian troops keep high tension on frontline

The Armenian armed units shattered ceasefire with Azerbaijan a total of 132 times throughout the day, using 82 and 120-millimeter mortars, large-caliber machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades (for a total of 17 shells) , Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported on March 1.

The Armenian armed forces, stationed in Armenia`s Dovekh, Voskevan villages and nameless hills in Noyemberyan districts, Vazashen village in Ijevan district, Chinari and Aygedzor villages in Berd, nameless hills in Krasnoselsk district, subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces located in Gaymagli and Gushchu Ayrim villages and nameless hills in Gazakh district, Munjuglu, Aghbulag and Alibayli villages in Tovuz district and nameless hills in Gadabay district.

The ceasefire was also violated in Chilaburt and Goyarkh villages in Tartar district, Kuropatkino village in Khojavand district, Horadiz, Ashagi Veyselli and Garakhanbayli villages in Fuzuli district, as well as nameless hills in Goygol, Tartar, Goronboy, Aghdam, Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil districts.

Given the operational situation, the Azerbaijani army took adequate retaliatory actions.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.