Armenian soldier wounded as Azeris violate ceasefire

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nagorno Karabakh army soldier Ashot Grigoryan, born 1994, was injured when on duty Monday, May 26, as result of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani armed forces.

Investigation into the incident is under way, reported the press office of the NKR defense army.

450 ceasefire violations by Azeri armed forces were reported at the line of contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan from May 18-24.

Azerbaijan fired over 2000 shots from various caliber weapons towards Karabakh positions. The NKR defense army continued with their military duty in line with ceasefire principles, taking necessary measures to protect the frontline.

Azeri sabotage attempt was thwarted on the night of May 22 at the line of contact between the Krabakh defense army and Azeri armed forces.

According to the NKR defense ministry press service, the army took action to rebuff the attack, reportedly leaving 3 Azeri soldiers injured.

Also, on May 23 Azeri forces have been shelling the village of Barekamavan and Armenian defense positions for around 6 hours. Azerbaijanis opened fire at a military vehicle heading to an outpost as well as a ZIL civil vehicle.

Some bullets damaged the roof of the house that belongs to Hovik Gharakeshishyan, former head of the village administration.

In recent months, Azerbaijan has been continuously violating the ceasefire, shelling Armenian and Artsakh frontline, as well as border villages of Armenia.

Armenian soldier Arthur Ohanjanyan, aged 20, received a deadly injury in Azeri frontline shooting in the southern direction of the Line of Contact of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s troops on May 20.

On the morning of April 19, Azeri troops shelled settlements in Armenia’s Tavush province. Some of the villagers working in the vineyards managed to escape, yet others stayed put. The head of the village of Aygepar Andranik Aydinyan expressed concern over the fates of the latters, with mobile connection cut and no information available.

The village of Choratan was also fired on; the shelling started at 9 am and lasted for almost half an hour. As the head of the village Varuzhan Baghramyan said, “Azeri troops targeted peaceful villagers working in the gardens. Fortunately, no one was injured. Azeri shelling became a pretty common occurrence here.”

Border villages of Aygepar, Movses, Nerkin Karmiraghbryur in Armenia’s Tavush province were intensively shelled in a lengthy Azeri attack on the night of April 15.

On March 24, Garnik Torosyan, 22, was shot dead while on duty at the contact line between Karabakh and Azeri armed forces.

Nagorno Karabakh army soldier Arman Ghukasyan, 20, died from gunshot wounds while on duty on March 19; another serviceman, Varazdat Zakaryan was injured.

In late January, a Nagorno Karabakh army soldier, Karen Galstyan, aged 20, sustained a deadly injury in a sniper attack at the northern direction of the line of contact with the Azerbaijani armed forces.

Simultaneous attempts of penetration by the Azerbaijani subversive groups were recorded on January 19-20 in the north-eastern (Jraberd) and south-eastern (Korgan) directions of the line of contact. The front units of the armed forces of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic noticed the actions of the Azerbaijani subversive groups and started an organized defense in both directions.

The rival was thrown back suffering palpable human and material losses. Junior Sergeant Armen Hovhannisyan died from the wounds he received during the exchange of fire.