MoD: Armenia uses artillery on border with Azerbaijan

By Azernews

The Defence Ministry has stated that Armenia uses artillery equipment on the state border with Azerbaijan.

In a report posted on its website on November 16, the Defence Ministry said: "The Armenian armed forces units continue large-scale provocations against Azerbaijan on the state border. To aggravate the situation on the state border, the military formations of the opposing side using mortars of various calibre and artillery pieces subjected to fire the Azerbaijan army units stationed in Lachin region."

The Azerbaijan army units are taking adequate measures to suppress Armenia's provocations, the report added.

In a report posted on its website on November 16, the Defence Ministry said: "The Armenian armed forces units continue large-scale provocations against Azerbaijan on the state border. To aggravate the situation on the state border, the military formations of the opposing side using mortars of various calibre and artillery pieces subjected to fire the Azerbaijan army units stationed in Lachin region."

The Azerbaijan army units are taking adequate measures to suppress Armenia's provocations, the report added.

Furthermore, the ministry said that two Azerbaijani servicemen were wounded as a result of large-scale Armenian provocations in Kalbajar and Lachin regions on the state border.

On November 16, at about 1100, Armenian military formations launched a sudden military operation in order to capture the high grounds in this direction of the state border and take more advantageous positions, thereby gaining military superiority.

It added that Armenian military units, assembling additional forces, special military equipment at the border combat positions in Basarkechar and Garakilsa regions, attacked the Azerbaijani army's combat posts in Kalbajar and Lachin regions.

"The opposing side using weapons of various caliber and grenade launchers intensively firing on the positions of the Azerbaijan army, damaged the combat posts. As a result, according to preliminary information, two servicemen of the Azerbaijan army were wounded. The servicemen were provided with urgent medical assistance. There is no danger to their life," the report added. 

The Defence Ministry underlined that the Army Corps and the Azerbaijan army forces stationed in the direction of Kalbajar and Lachin regions immediately carried out an emergency operation to suppress combat activity of the Armenian armed forces.

"First, the movement of the opposing side was limited, as well as its forces and means were damaged. As a result of the decisive measures taken by the Azerbaijani servicemen, the Armenian servicemen were disarmed and detained, a large number of weapons of various calibers, and a large amount of ammunition were seized as trophies," the ministry added.

It noted that from an operational-tactical point of view, the attack carried out by the Armenian military units seeking to gain a short-term superiority through large-scale provocations, as well as another attempt of official Yerevan to commit provocation completely failed.

The Azerbaijani army positions came under Armenian fire in a number of settlements from 1615 on November 15 to 0430 (local time) on November 16, the Defence Ministry reported earlier on November 16.

Earlier, Baku condemned Yerevan for the recent escalation of tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border.

In an official statement posted on the Foreign Ministry website on November 15, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva said: "All responsibility for the current tension lies directly with the military and political leadership of Armenia."

The escalation of tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been observed since November 13, 2021, when several Azerbaijani servicemen were wounded in the attack committed by members of illegal Armenian armed formations near Shusha city on the Azerbaijani territory currently under Russian peacekeepers' temporary control.

The Azerbaijani army positions in liberated Kalbajar and Lachin regions have been under Armenian fire since the evening of November 13.