Tensions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border

Armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan along the border in different directions, which lasted two days, worried the US State Department. Azerbaijani experts believe that the shelling of the Lachin border crossing “first of all creates difficulties for the Armenians living in Karabakh, so all their claims should be addressed to Armenia.”

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On June 15, shooting took place between the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan in different directions of the state border.

The first tension occurred yesterday at about 9 am in the area of the Lachin border crossing. An Azerbaijani border guard was wounded.

According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, on the night of June 16, units of the Armenian Armed Forces periodically fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the settlement of Galakend in the Gadabay region, as well as in the direction of the Shushi region from illegal armed groups located in Karabakh.

I was indicated that already in the morning, units of the Armenian Armed Forces from the positions of the settlement of Arazdeyan (Yeraskh) fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the settlement of Heydarabad of the Sadarak region of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.

“The units of the Azerbaijani army are taking retaliatory measures,” the information says.

The Armenian Defense Ministry issued a response information that the Azerbaijani side fired at the Armenian positions in the Yeraskh direction.

As always, the sides blame each other for the tension.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued a statement which says:

“This military provocation, along with aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, is aimed at preventing the successful operation of the border checkpoint, the safe, free and unhindered passage of Armenian residents, as well as the movement along the Lachin road.

The military provocation of Armenia, which cannot stomach the free movement of Armenian residents through the checkpoint, is a clear example of the fact that Armenia is not interested in establishing relations with Azerbaijan and in the peace process.”

The US State Department also responded:

“We are deeply concerned that the shooting along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border near Lachin has resulted in injuries to personnel,” spokesman Matt Miller told TURAN’s Washington correspondent.

“We reaffirm our statement that the parties must refrain from hostilities along the border and free and open transit through the Lachin corridor must be restored as the parties work towards a lasting and dignified peace agreement. We look forward to meeting the parties soon.”

This happened a day after Yerevan reported the incident near the border with Nakhichevan. Two Indian citizens were wounded at a steel plant being built in Armenia with US investment.

“We are deeply concerned that two civilian employees of a US-affiliated company in Armenia were injured as a result of shelling from Azerbaijan,” Matthew Miller wrote on Twitter.

Aykhan Hajizadeh, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, responded on Twitter: “We reject unfounded allegations of harassment of civilians at a metallurgical plant under construction in Armenia. As usual, this is yet another invention of Armenia to mislead and divert attention from their military provocations and the negative cross-border impact of the plant.”

“The violation of the ceasefire in Lachin is aimed precisely at striking a blow to the reintegration process. Because the process of integrating our Armenian citizens into Azerbaijani society is on the agenda. Secondly, on the 14th, the second big stage of the process of returning to Lachin began. They operate on the principle of “it is necessary to scare the returning population.”

This opinion was expressed by the press secretary of the Center for Social Research (CSR), political observer Aziz Alibayli.

“They want to provoke Azerbaijan with this. In this sense, after the shelling of the Lachin border checkpoint, we see that the time has come for an anti-terrorist operation,” he added.

According to the head of the Atlas research center Elkhan Shahinoglu, the provocation of the Armenian army at the Lachin border crossing caused damage primarily to the Karabakh Armenians:

“Armenians can leave and return from Karabakh through this checkpoint. As a result of the provocation, the checkpoint temporarily stopped its activities. As a result, the Armenians cannot use the crossing. After the checkpoint resumes its work, if there is another provocation, the border will be closed again. This will create difficulties for the Armenians of Karabakh, their patients will not be able to travel to Armenia, and the supply of food will be stopped. Therefore, all the claims of the Karabakh Armenians regarding today’s incident should be addressed to the military of Armenia.”

Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov believes that the events that took place at the Lachin border crossing once again show that Armenia will constantly escalate tension in the region, arranging provocations.

“The Armenian side, as always, sends certain signals to the international community, escalating tension in one way or another. The goal is to get some sort of offer of political support amid tensions. Now they are working on this tactic. Provocations at the border also speak of this. With its response, Azerbaijan wants to show that such provocations will cost dearly, first of all, to Armenia. In order to distance them from these provocations, I think that a strategy of tough steps should be applied there – a kind of Israeli strategy,” Zulfugarov said.