Armenia reports new ceasefire violation following bilateral talks on past allegations

On Thursday, Armenia reported that the roof of yet another residential house was damaged on Wednesday night as a result of Azerbaijani fire. Reports of the violation came after Armenia and Azerbaijan had communications over prior reports.

The Armenian side reported no casualties.

It marked the fifth ceasefire violation report since 31 March in which Armenia said that civilian objects were damaged as a result of Azerbaijani fire.

As in previous cases, the Armenian Defence Ministry again provided footage showing the damage they claim to have been caused by Azerbaijani fire. Previously, three residential houses and a culture centre in Khnatsakh and Khoznavar in the Syunik region were targeted by Azerbaijani fire, with the Armenian side providing footage showing damage and bullet fragments.

Before the latest allegation from the Armenian side, Yerevan was accused of not reporting new damage to a residential house in Khnatsakh, according to RFE/RL.

The recent rise of tensions between the two countries started shortly after they ostensibly agreed on the terms of a peace deal on 13 March, after which, as of Wednesday noon, Armenia has denied Azerbaijan’s accusations of violating the ceasefire 26 times.

Aside from dismissing all Azerbaijani accusations, Armenian authorities repeatedly express their readiness to investigate the Azerbaijani allegations in case any evidence is provided.

A Factor TV report on Wednesday suggested that talks had taken place between Yerevan and Baku. The TV channel had sent an inquiry to the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office about Armenia’s offer to investigate ceasefire violation reports, to which the office responded by saying that Armenia had transferred ‘relevant information on ceasefire violations’ to Azerbaijan, and information about ceasefire violations was also presented to Yerevan from Baku.

The Prime Minister’s Office did not specify when the exchange took place, nor did it provide any additional information.

‘The Armenian side investigated the information and forwarded a report on the results of the investigation to the Azerbaijani side’, the office was quoted as saying.

Additionally, Factor TV said that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's office did not clarify whether the Azerbaijani side provided information about its own violations or the alleged violations by the Armenian side.

The residents of Armenian border villages have reported hearing Azerbaijani fire every night for over a month and a half.

Against the backdrop of increased ceasefire violations claims, as well as numerous reports from Armenia’s border villages of shootings from the Azerbaijani side, particularly at night, the EU Mission in Armenia announced that starting from March, they had increased the number of night patrols to ‘enhance nighttime security and safety and relieve possible tensions’.

Azerbaijan holds military drills ‘in Nakhchivan’ as tensions with Armenia continue

The military drills took place following a volley of accusations of ceasefire violation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

OC MediaYousef Bardouka