The Artsakh National Security Service is working to increase the level of security in Khramort and other communities of the Askeran region, after Azerbaijani forces began broadcasting messages to civilians, in what is being deemed as a new wave of attacks on Artsakh residents, this time psychological intimation.
The Artsakh NSS told News.am that the intimidation and attack have taken place in various parts of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani line of contact in recent days, including in the village of Khramort, where citizens have voiced concern over the situation.
“Although Azerbaijan’s psychological attack—by using various methods—is disturbing in itself, both the people and the state bodies of Artsakh work hard to improve the real and tangible components of security,” the NSS told News.am.
“To this end, the Artsakh NSS is taking all measures to protect the lives and health of the population in Khramort and other communities from possible encroachments and to establish a stable and reliable security system in Artsakh,” added the national security apparatus.
The Azerbaijani forces resorted to broadcasting messages via loudspeakers and bullhorns, after countless violations of the ceasefire, including firing at maintenance workers in the Khramort-Akna near the Aghdam line of contact since February 16.
The Artsakh security services have been working with the Russian peacekeeping mission to mediate with the Azerbaijani command.
Hunan Tadevosyan, spokesman of the Artsakh Emergency Situations Service, wrote in an Facebook post on Sunday that Azerbaijanis broadcast messages over loud speakers about the so-called “Khjaly massacres.”
The Russian peacekeepers have said that the situation will be resolved in the two to three days.
“The officers of the Askeran regional police department of the [Artsakh] MIA [(Ministry of Internal Affairs)] are in constant contact with the people of Khramort and are monitoring the operative situation,” Tadevosyan said.
On a related matter, the Artsakh Investigative Committee has begun probing criminal charges for the February 5 shooting of three Armenian workers at the stone processing plant by Azerbaijani forces.
The Artsakh authorities said in a statement that the shooting was characterized as an attempted murder and the Azerbaijani servicemen’s motive was “ethnic, racial or religious hatred or religious fanaticism.”
While the three workers escaped unharmed, the Artsakh authorities vowed to prosecute criminal charges.
“Today we commemorate the tragic pogroms against Armenians in Sumgait/Baku and call attention to the decades-long persecution that continues. Unprovoked invasion-aggression against Artsakh by Azerbaijan is state sponsored hostility against Armenians. It is crucial that we condemn them and speak out,” Tadevosyan said in his social media post.
