Armenia says Azerbaijani fire caused damage in border village

According to Armenia’s Defence Ministry, on Sunday evening, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of Khoznavar village in the Syunik Province, inflicting damage on a solar water heater installed on the roof of a residential building.

The incident on Sunday occurred at approximately 02:30. The ministry noted that no casualties were reported, and attached a number of photos to the official statement depicting the alleged damage, as well as the bullet itself.

The ministry additionally called on the Azerbaijani side to ‘conduct a thorough investigation into the shelling of the residential building in Khoznavar and to issue a public explanation’.

This is the third time Armenia has shared photo evidence of damage in border villages as a result of Azerbaijani fire since the end of March.

On 14 April, the Defence Ministry reported that the cultural centre in Khnatsakh village in the Syunik Province had been damaged as a result of Azerbaijani fire the night before.

Prior to that, on 31 March, the Defence Ministry reported that a residential house, also in Khnatsakh, had been damaged from Azerbaijani fire. Attached to the official statement were images of a window broken due to a bullet striking it, and the remains of the bullet itself.

Over the last month, there have been numerous reports from Armenia’s border villages of shootings from the Azerbaijani side, particularly at night. In response, the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) recently announced an increase in the number of night patrols along the Armenian side of the Armenia–Azerbaijan border.

Armenia says Azerbaijani fire damaged building in border village

This is the second time Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire since agreeing to a peace deal on 13 March.

OC MediaXandie (Alexandra) Kuenning