Artsakh soldier at a position

After advancing their positions into the Parukh village of Artsakh’s Askeran region, Azerbaijani forces continued their breach of the line-of-contact toward the critically strategic Karaglukh Heights from different direction, the Artsakh Information Center reported.

“Several retaliatory attacks repelled the enemy’s diversion efforts,” added the statement.

At 5 p.m. local time the situation on the line-of-contact remained tense and negotiations continued with the Russian peacekeeping contingent to stabilize the situation there.

The attacks on Artsakh Army positions resumed Saturday morning and continued throughout the day

The Azerbaijani forces, which have been shelling Khramort and surrounding villages since late last month, stepped up their attack on Thursday and advanced their positions inside Artsakh, invading the Parish village in Askeran, with their eye on the Karaglukh village.

Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan warned that Azerbaijani troops still have not pulled back after aggressively advancing their positions. Artsakh authorities reported that three Artakh soldiers were killed on Friday, while Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan announced that 14 people were injured during Friday’s attacks.

Beglaryan said the Russian peacekeepers continued to man their posts in Parukh and Khramort, and that “the Russian side made significant efforts to enforce the ceasefire in its area of responsibility.”

“We expect that through Russia’s efforts the Azerbaijani troops will pull back to their initial positions and will not continue further advances against the security of the people of Artsakh and the Russian Federation’s guarantees. We stand firmly in our homeland and we are ready to withstand whatever challenges may come,” Beglaryan said.