Artsakh may discuss ceasefire in context of initial positions recovery

PanARMENIAN.Net - Artsakh Defense Army is ready to discuss the proposal for a ceasefire in the context of recovery of initial positions, the Army said in a statement.

Karabakh Defense Ministry declared once more that Azerbaijan's statement on a unilateral cessation of fire is completely false.

Moreover, it said, the Azerbaijani army units kept using BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers and 152-mm artillery to shell Karabakh civilian settlements, the city of Martakert, in particular.

"The use of such phrases as "counter-operations" and "strengthening liberated territories" reveal the falseness of the document which primarily aims to imitate cessation of fire, full of overt preconditions," the Karabakh Defense Ministry said.

On the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh, using artillery, armored fighting vehicles and air force equipment among other weapons.

As many as 18 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 35 were wounded in the course of military operations.

As of April 3, the Azerbaijani side has lost 14 tanks and over 5 armored vehicles, including an IFV, as well as 2 military helicopters and 2 unmanned aerial vehicles.

One Karabakh tank has been destroyed so far.