Azerbnaijani media misrepresent developments on contact line

PanARMENIAN.Net - On January 20, 10:00 a.m. a fire regime violation was registered on Azerbaijani-Karabakh contact line.



As informed by Armenian servicemen, a conflict between 7 Azeris in Fizuli direction of the line grew into a scuffle which was followed by firearm shootings. Some time later, the aggrieved Azeri was moved from the scene in an ambulance.



However, a few minutes after the incident, Azerbaijani media released a statement saying that an armed Armenian was allegedly killed in Fizuli direction, while attempting to cross the contact line.



Commenting upon the above mentioned, NKR Defense Ministry Spokesman, Colonel Senor Asatrryan said that such information is Azerbaijan's successive attempt to disseminate distorted facts.



According to NKR Defense Ministry's press service, fire regime violation was registered on Azerbaijani Karabakh contact line on the night of January 20. After NKR Defense Army's taking proper measures, the enemy was silenced.



The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus, bordering by Azerbaijan to the north and east, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the west.



After the Soviet Union established control over the area, in 1923 it formed the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within the Azerbaijan SSR. In the final years of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan launched an ethnic cleansing which resulted in the Karabakh War that was fought from 1991 to 1994.



Since the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan around it (the security zone) remain under the control of Nagorno Karabakh defense army.



Armenia and Azerbaijan have since been holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group.