Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan strictly observes ceasefire

The Armenian side continues to spread false information about ceasefire violations by servicemen of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces.

The Armenian media alleges that the Azerbaijani side is not complying with the agreement to stop military operations on the line of contact reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia on April 5.

"Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry declares that the Azerbaijani side has strictly followed the ceasefire regime from the first day of its announcement and is committed to the reached agreement," the ministry said. 

"The ceasefire regime has again been violated by Armenian servicemen. The information disseminated by the Armenian media is untrue and disinformation," Trend cited the ministry as saying.

Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.