The Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of Verin Shorzha. 2 servicemen were killed, 2 are wounded

On January 11, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia reported, that at around 15:15, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire on Armenian combat positions located in Verin Shorzha of Gegharkunik region as a result of which one serviceman was wounded.

At around 17:30, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces resumed firing in the direction of the Armenian positions located in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, using also artillery and UAVs.

Later the Ministry of Defense reported, that as a result of provocations by Azerbaijani units in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, servicemen Artur Mkhitaryan (born in 2002) and Rudik Gharibyan (born in 2002) were killed and two other servicemen are wounded. 

According to RA MoD, as of 21:00, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is relatively stable.

The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia issued a statement sayin that the fire is being carried out mainly from the Azerbaijani positions, located in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia; these are incursions of May 2021. These locations are in the immediate vicinity of the villages of Armenia; they are present in pastures, arable lands and grasslands that belong to people and their locations have no legal bases.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia strongly condemns today’s gross violation of the ceasefire regime by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the eastern direction of the border of the Republic of Armenia with the use of artillery and UAVs, as a result of which servicemen of the armed forces of Armenia Arthur Mkhitaryan and Rudik Gharibyan were fatally wounded and two servicemen were injured. "The Armenian side has repeatedly stated that one of the ways to avoid further escalation of the situation may be the mirrored withdrawal of troops from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and introduction of an international monitoring mechanism along the border. We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to refrain from provocative actions and implement their commitment on establishing stability in the region undertaken as a result of the Brussels meeting and with the Trilateral Statement of Sochi," the statement of the RA MFA reads. 

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