Artsakh PM Spokesperson Tells the Armenian Weekly There is ‘No Truth’ to Azerbaijani Ministry Report
STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)—The official spokesperson of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh) Prime Minister has refuted reports of five Armenian servicemen killed by an artillery attack on March 12.
Artsakh Defense Army troops (Photo: artsakh.org.uk)
Speaking to the Armenian Weekly, spokesperson Artak Beglaryan said there was “no truth” to the report by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense and that the Armenian side had not suffered any casualties.
“There is no truth there. I believe it is old news, but the Azerbaijani side wants ‘revenge’ for their failure on Feb. 25,” Beglaryan said.
Azerbaijani forces made two major offensive attempts early on Feb. 25, in the most intense fighting along the Artsakh-Azerbaijani border since early April 2016. According to the Artsakh Defense Ministry statement, Artsakh forces detected the advancements early on and drove Azerbaijani forces back to their starting positions.
The Ministry also announced that the Azerbaijani side suffered at least five casualties as a result of the Feb. 25 attack, including the head of the 181st intelligence brigade of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Major Abdulayev, commander of the brigade’s intelligence company, Senior Lieutenant Ashimli Shakhlar, intelligence officer Adihusseinov, and two other servicemen.
According to two statements released by the Artsakh Defense Ministry, Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire about 40 times on the night of March 11-12, and about 55 times on the night of March 12-13. During this time, the Azerbaijani side fired more than 1,050 shots on Armenian positions, using various caliber weaponry.
In addition, Azerbaijani forces fired 60 mm mortars in the northeastern direction of the Line of Contact (LoC) on the night of March 11-12, and a grenade from a rocket-propelled grenade launcher in the southern direction of the LoC on the night of March 12-13. No casualties were reported on the Armenian side.