Artsakh security forces released surveillance video on Friday showing how an Azerbaijani serviceman is breaching the ceasefire and opening gunfire at Armenian positions, while laughing.
The National Security Service of Artsakh said in a statement that since the beginning of October Azerbaijani military forces have definitely changed course and specifically have begun targeting civilians in their more active and intentional ceasefire violations. The NSS said that the provocations started in Martakert, where a civilian was killed and have continued, with the latest attack that injured six Artsakh soldiers on Thursday evening (local time).
Artsakh’s Defense Army reported that Azerbaijani forces opened fire at a military ambulance at 9 a.m. (local time) on Friday in Artsakh northeastern sector.
The Artsakh Defense Ministry said there were no injuries, adding that the incident was reported to the Russian peacekeeping command.
The video from Thursday’s shooting that injured six soldiers shows an Azerbaijani soldier firing an AK-74 assault rifle at Armenian positions while another Azeri soldier is hiding behind the barracks. After firing several rounds, the shooter can be seen laughing before resuming his attack.
The NSS explained that in the past Azerbaijani forces would fire shots as warnings, not aiming at Artsakh Defense Army personnel. “However, in recent days the direction of the shots has changed dramatically, with civilians being targeted,” the NSS. said.
“Yesterday, Azerbaijani troops deployed in a position near the Nor Shen community of Martuni region shelled a nearby Armenian position set up to protect the population of the village. The nearly point-blank range shots were fired so explicitly that surveillance cameras of the Armenian side caught it on video,” the NSS said, stressing that the images prove that the Artsakh Defense Army continues to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, whereas the Azerbaijani side is intentionally violating it.
Artsakh’s State Minister Artak Beglaryan on Friday said that three of the six injured soldiers have had surgery to treat their wounds.
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued on Friday, said that Azerbaijan’s policy of terrorism is aimed at intimidating the Artsakh population so they will leave the country.
“In the recent days, Azerbaijan has been trying to artificially escalate the situation in the region, and this is taking place while high-level meetings are underway,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said, adding that Azerbaijan wants Armenians to leave Artsakh, through its intimidation.
“This policy is also an affront to Russia and the Russian peacekeeping mission,” said the Artsakh foreign ministry.
“We once again reiterate that Artsakh will not be threatened by such actions. The Armenians of Artsakh are determined to live in their historical Homeland and defend their sovereignty and dignity,” added the Artsakh foreign ministry.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned what it called “the gross violation” of the ceasefire by Azerbaijani forces. The statement pointed to the shooting Thursday that resulted in the injury of six soldiers, as well as the killing of Aram Tepants, a farmer who was shot on October 9 in the same vicinity.
Emphasizing that Thursday’s incident was the second serious attack that has resulted in civilian and military casualties.
And what is our armed forces doing? Have become so weak that we are not capable to return fire?
They only understand one language and that is fear. But it seems fear is what has gotten inside our leaders.
A pacifist former journalists cannot lead our nation, he will only bring destruction.
Look at our foreign minister, he has almost no education, no diplomatic skills, no experience in international relations and he is sent to negotiate with Lavarov and the shoon azeris.
I believe our armed forces are more than capable of responding and silencing the enemy. The problem is that they have been given orders, by our incompetent prime minister, not to engage the enemy and that because he believes could lead to further escalation in military activity and violence. I happen to think the opposite is true. The more passive we become the more aggressive the enemy becomes. We have seen many evidences of that. Many serious things that we are dealing with today that could all have been avoided if we had taken preemptive actions. The enemy views our passivity as our weakness and they take advantage of that. The enemy knows what we are capable of doing to them and they experienced it and felt it on their skins thirty years ago. They also use the state our impotent leader has put us in as a propaganda tool to portray us as weak and fragile to their ignorant and gullible population to boost their false sense of superiority over us.
We need to break out of this situation and I think that won’t happen until we have a true Armenian patriot leading the country. A leader with high moral values and strong character. When you act like a servant you will be treated as one. A leader who will bring peace to the region by dictating peace to the enemy instead of being the object of enemy’s ridicule. A leader the enemy will fear. A leader who serves the interests of the nation and the homeland above all else. One who answers to the Armenian people ONLY and not one whose actions are dictated by foreign leaders. For this to happen, the Armenian voter population needs to be much more aware and educated in country’s affairs, take the value and the power (hence the consequences) of their votes seriously, and get their priorities straight given the situation the country is in, instead of voting for and electing a snake oil salesman who promises freedom of expression, a false one at that, and an increase in their pensions. What good is all that when you are constantly living in an state of fear and uncertainty because of the wrong and selfish choice you made!