Escalation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border — a new stage of the conflict?
Yerevan has accused Azerbaijan of opening fire on its southern borders. Baku denied this, but announced a provocation on behalf of Armenia in the vicinity of the border with Iran.
Fights in the zone of Karabakh conflict have been continuing since September 27, several thousand people among military and peaceful population on both sides have already died. Ceasefire was announced three times during this period— on October 10, 18, and 26, but each time it was immediately violated. Sides accuse each other of not adhering to the ceasefire.
In the morning of October 27 Ministry of Defense of Armenia released an announcement about fighting on the southern borders of the country by Azerbaijani armed forces.
This announcement was denied in Baku.
However just several minutes later sides accused each other of escalation on the same section of the border.
Announcements of clashes of both armies not in the Karabakh conflict zone but on the border of the two countries started coming in after Azerbaijan announced that they had taken under their control the section of the border between Iran and Azerbaijan (in the Karabakh conflict zone).
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Information of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia
In the morning of October 27 press-secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Shushan Stepanyan stated that “Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire again, using drones (one of which fell on the territory of Armenia)”.
“Azerbaijan shelled positions of the Armenian border checkpoint at the southern border with Iran”.
After some time the Ministry of Defense of Armenia announced that “the enemy continues fire in the direction of the southern border of the Republic of Armenia. There are wounded”.
Ministry of Defense of Armenia warned that “they will have to take counter measures against Azerbaijani forces”.
Information of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan
“Information disseminated by Armenia on the alleged shelling of the territory of Armenia with the use of drones and artillery of Azerbaijan is false and has a provocative nature”, announced the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan almost immediately.
Following this, the Ministry of Defense and border department of Azerbaijan came forward with a joint statement that “Armenia is intentionally exacerbating the situation in different directions of the front, especially at the restored sections of the state border”.
“Armenian authorities must come to terms with the fact that restored state borders are not a conflict zone but an acknowledged by the international community state border, defining rightful sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. […]
Any provocation in this direction is considered an act of aggression. Azerbaijan has the right to destroy any legitimate military objects threatening its territory, notwithstanding their location”, says the announcement.
Turkish invasion into Armenia?
Some sources, mainly Telegram-channels, announced about an alleged preparation of the Turkish SWAT to invade Armenia.
One such announcement:
“There is information that after massive Russian blows on Erdogan’s clusters in Syria (blows took place the day before), the Turkish ‘sultan’ immediately decided to take revenge and attack some regions of Armenia in the south of the country. Thus, the war goes into another, larger phase”.
Official sources on either side haven’t commented on this information yet.
