US urges to stop using force along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border

By Trend

The US condemns the violence along the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border and urges the sides to stop using force immediately, Morgan Ortagus, US Department of State Spokesperson said, Trend reports with reference to the US Department of State.

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the violence along the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border.? We urge the sides to stop using force immediately, use the existing direct communication links between them to avoid further escalation, and strictly adhere to the ceasefire," Ortagus said.

"As a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States remains strongly committed to helping the sides achieve a lasting, peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We will remain actively engaged in efforts to accomplish that goal. The United States joins the Minsk Group Co-Chairs in calling for the sides to resume substantive negotiations as soon as possible and in emphasizing the importance of returning OSCE monitors to the region as soon as circumstances allow," she said.

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijan's sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces. Another serviceman, Khayyam Dashdemirov died from severe wounds despite the doctors' efforts.

The tensions in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border continued July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenia’s military unit. Senior lieutenant of Azerbaijani army Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

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, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.