Armenian forces retreat suffering casualties after truce violations

By Azernews

By Vafa Ismayilova

Armenian forces suffered casualties in manpower and military equipment during Azerbaijan’s counter-offensive operations on November 4 and on the night leading to November 5, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has reported.

“The combat operations continued with varying intensity, mainly in Aghdere and Khojavend directions of the front. The enemy was forced to retreat with casualties on personnel and military vehicles in some areas of the front. The Azerbaijan army units and human settlements came under attack of Armenian troops with the use of various small arms, howitzers and mortars.

At present, our troops are monitoring the operational situation,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that the Armenian troops also fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army units located at the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border using mortars and small arms.

Starting from the evening hours on November 4 to 04:50 on November 5, the positions of our military units located in Tovuz, Gadabay and Dashkesan regions of Azerbaijan were fired intermittently by the enemy from the direction of Berd, Chambarak and Vardenis regions of Armenia, the report added.

Ninety-one Azerbaijani civilians have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured in Armenia's indiscriminate missile attacks on Azerbaijani civilian settlements and cities. International human rights watchdogs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have confirmed Armenia's use of forbidden munition in attacks on Azerbaijani civilians. 

Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated on September 27 when Armenian armed forces deployed in the occupied Azerbaijani lands made military provocations against Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions. The ongoing clashes mark the most intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached. Armenia's offensive prompted immediate Azerbaijan’s counter-attack measures.

In retaliation, Azerbaijani troops have so far liberated the occupied cities of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan and Gubadli, as well as dozens of villages, settlements and strategic heights in the districts of Tartar, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Khojavend, Zangilan, Gubadli and Kalbajar.