Overnight violence reported along Armenia-Azerbaijan borders

Violence has been reported along the Armenia-Azerbaijan borders on the night of 21-22 February.

Baku and Yerevan have blamed each other for the overnight violence, denying that they were responsible for breaking the ceasefire. No casualties have been reported.

On Wednesday morning (22 February), the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed that between 20:45 on 21 February and 01:20 on 22 February, Armenian armed forces shelled Azerbaijani military positions in Aghdam, and in Saradarak in Azerbaijan's south-western region of Nakhchivan.

They also claimed that the de facto Defense Forces of the Republic of Artsakh - which they called an "illegal Armenian armed detachment in the territory of Azerbaijan" - shelled Azerbaijani positions in Tazakand, Shusha, and in Khojavand district.

They added that the Azerbaijani military retaliated to the alleged provocation.

Stepanakert and Yerevan deny claims, calling Azerbaijani announcement "disinformation"

On their parts, Stepanakert and Yerevan denied the Azerbaijani claims. The Ministry of Defense of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh argued that it was in fact Azerbaijan who had violated the ceasefire with small arms fire, calling the announcement "yet another disinformation".

Meanwhile, the Armenian Defense Ministry in Yerevan also called Baku's claims that the Armenian Army opened fire on Azerbaijani positions in the border zone overnight "disinformation".

The Armenian statement also said that Russian peacekeepers were notified of the incident. The situation has been stable since the overnight violence.

source: commonspace.eu with agencies
photo: TASS/RFE/RL