Azerbaijani Forces Strike Russian Border Patrol
Civilian Infrastructure Being Targeted
4 Civilians Reportedly Injured
2,570 Civilians Have Been Displaced, Among them Women, Children, Elderly
Forest Fires in Jermuk Burns 22 Acres
Fire Breaks Out at Armenian Military

Azerbaijan continued to step up its attack of Armenia’s sovereign territory, with the official death toll reaching 105 soldiers. According to officials on the ground four civilians have been injured while around 2,570 have been displaced, among them women, children, elderly.

As of 6 p.m. local time, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remained tense, Armenian Defense Ministry’s spokesperson Aram Torosyan said, adding that from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time the Azerbaijani side continued intensive rocket-artillery strikes along the entire border from Sotk to Goris, targeting also the civilian settlements and widely using attacking drones.

“At around 16:40 [4:40 p.m.], the military unit located in the direction of Sotk was hit by rocket-artillery strikes, as a result of which a fire broke out. The fire has been extinguished. Starting at 17:00 [5 p.m.], the intensity of the enemy’s rocket-artillery strikes in the aforementioned direction has weakened”, he said, adding that the Armenian Armed Forces take all necessary measures to give a proper response to the adversary.

The targeting of the civilian population and vital public structures by the Azerbaijani armed forces are illegal under international humanitarian law, said Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan in a statement.

Azerbaijani forces intensified their air strikes along the entirety of the Armenian border on Wednesday and beginning at 1 p.m. local time launched large-scale rocket-artillery strike along border from Sotk to Goris, in the Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces, the Defense Ministry reported.

On another front, in the Vayots Dzor Province, Azerbaijan launched air strikes on Jermuk, local officials reported.

As of 3 p.m. local time, the situation remained tense.

Vehicles of the Russian Federal Security Service came under heavy shelling by Azerbaijani forces.

The headquarters of the Russian Federal Security Service’s Border Guards stationed in Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province have also come under Azerbaijani shelling. 

The FSS crew was forced to leave their facility immediately. Photographs posted on the Telegram social media site showed damage to the facility and vehicles.

“This is yet another proof that Azerbaijan is firing indiscriminately. Parallel to rocket-artillery strikes the Azerbaijani forces have renewed attempts to advance positions,” said Torosyan, the defense ministry spokesperson.

Wednesday’s attacks followed intermittent overnight border shooting but intensified at 8 a.m. local time when Jermuk and Verin Shorzha were targeted.

“Overnight, on September 13-14, the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remained tense. Particularly, in the direction of Jermuk the enemy used combat UAVs. Despite no significant incidents taking place in the remaining directions where Azerbaijani aggression was unleashed the previous day, today, starting 08:00, the enemy re-launched its attack by using artillery, mortar and large-caliber firearms in the directions of Jermuk and Verin Shorzha,” said the defense ministry.

“Despite a clear reaction from the international community over the situation, Azerbaijan’s military-political leadership continues its acts of aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, targeting both military and civilian infrastructure. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia is announcing that the entire responsibility for the created situation and further developments falls on the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan,” said the statement.

Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s office, whose personnel is on the ground where the fighting is happening, confirmed reports of four civilian injuries and said people have been displaced from their homes from Sotk, Norabak, Kut, Azat, Ayrk, Tretuk, Kutakavan in the Gegharkunik Province and Tchakaten, Shikahogh, Srashen, Nerkin Hand, Aghitu, Akner and Verin Shen in the Syunik Province.

The Human Rights Defender’s fact finders reported that most of the displaced were are women, children, elderly, including persons with disabilities. They added that emergency response vehicles were also being targeted.

“Significant evidence has been collected on Azerbaijani bombing of civilian infrastructure, including residential homes, communication and power infrastructures and others.In several towns, especially in Sotk and Jermuk, the Azerbaijani bombings led to forest fires encompassing more than 9 hectares [22 acres],” said the fact finders.

Grigoryan, the Human Rights Defender, said that evidence collected by her team on Wednesday in Jermuk show a pattern that was used by Azerbaijani forces during the past two days in Sotk, Kut, Azat, Nerkin Hand, Akner, Verishen, and other communities.

She said that during her discussion with international human rights organizations, she urged them to advocate for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people currently under siege in Armenia.

“The level of Armenophobia recorded in the Azerbaijani media, including by government officials, is highly dangerous and based on previous experiences, is generating a high risk of war crimes by the Azerbaijani military,” Grigoryan said said.

https://asbarez.com/azerbaijan-intensifies-air-strikes-along-armenia-border-officials-report-105-dead/