A civilian was wounded in Khramort

Today at 10:35, the Askeran district police department reported that a resident of the village of Khramort, Suren Baghdasaryan (born in 1971) received a shrapnel wound in the back from an enemy mortar shot during agricultural work in the yard of his house, Artsakh Police reports. The shell exploded in the yard of the house. Baghdasaryan was taken to hospital, his life is not in danger. 

MFA of Artsakh issued a statement condemning Azerbaijan's provocative actions threatening peace and stability in the region.

"On March 9 and 10, the Azerbaijani armed forces targeted the civilian population of Martuni region’s Khnushinak and Karmir Shuka villages and Askeran region’s Khramort village, employing large-caliber firearms, as a result of which one civilian was wounded. In the night of March 8, the only gas pipeline leading to the Republic of Artsakh was damaged, depriving the entire territory of the country of gas supply. The damaged section is in the area under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces. To date, the Azerbaijani side is hindering the repair of the gas pipeline, due to which the entire population of Artsakh is facing a range of humanitarian problems, which are especially severe due to the cold weather conditions. The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh strongly condemns the provocative actions of Azerbaijan, which are a threat to regional peace and stability, a blow to the Russian peacekeeping mission, a challenge to the civilized world, and should not be left unresponded. The recent developments once again demonstrate the real intentions of Azerbaijan towards the Armenian people, Artsakh and its future," the statement reads.

I am in constant contact with the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh and the Prosecutor General of Artsakh. Yesterday, there were intensive shootings in the direction of Khramort village of Askeran region and Karmir Shuka and Khnushinak villages of Martuni region. During the day, the shootings in the direction of Khramort were accompanied by the criminal acts of exerting psychological pressure against the civilian population, by giving "warnings" in Armenian language over a loudspeaker for the population to leave the village, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia issued a statement.

"This criminal act against the civilian population intensified overnight in the direction of Khramort village, where the Azerbaijani armed forces implemented the use of mortar. one civilian is wounded. The enemy also demonstratively accumulated heavy equipment (tanks) in the direction of the village. For the purpose of the security of the civilian population, women and children were evacuated overnight to a more secure location, however, according to the information provided by my colleagues, they returned to the village in the morning. This is the ongoing criminal policy by the Azerbaijani military-political leadership, which is aimed at violating the life and security of people living in their homeland, terrorizing them, and causing them constant crisis. It is evident that the ultimate goal of such acts is to remove the Armenian communities in Artsakh from their native Armenian population, which is a manifestation of the ongoing policy of Armenophobia and ethnic hatred," the statement reads.

In the period from the evening of March 9 to March 10, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired at and damaged a tractor parked in a field after carrying out agricultural work in the village of Nakhichevanik of Artsakh, Prosecutor's office of Artsakh reports.

Artsakh Security Council reports that in order to suspend the provocative actions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and stabilize the situation throughout the territory of Artsakh, the authorities of Artsakh, together with the peacekeeping contingent of Russia, are taking all necessary measures.

"In particular, an enhanced joint service of the relevant law enforcement agencies of Artsakh and the peacekeeping contingent of Russia is being carried out in the area adjacent to the village of Khramort in the Askeran district. The situation is fully controlled by the authorities of Artsakh and the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation."

Armenian and Russian FMs met in Antalya

Within the framework of the diplomatic forum in Antalya, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on March 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports.

During the meeting, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sergey Lavrov touched upon the rich agenda of Armenian-Russian cooperation, discussed issues of further strengthening of allied relations. The interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the level of political dialogue between the two countries, the activity of contacts at the high and highest levels.

The parties touched upon the implementation of the trilateral agreements signed on November 9, 2020, January 11, 2021 and November 26, 2021.

The importance of a full-fledged resumption of peace talks on a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship was stressed.

The Armenian Foreign Minister presented the situation that has developed as a result of violations of the ceasefire regime and provocative actions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The settlement process between Armenia and Turkey was touched upon. 

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