Azerbaijan says Armenian forces target 3 border regions 
Mines planted by Armenia are found in Fuzuli, in the Karabakh region, Azerbaijan, Sept. 16, 2022 (Photo by Dilara Aslan Özer)


The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on Friday said that Armenian forces had attacked three border regions although a relative calm existed on the ground following last week’s conflict.

"Starting from 11:45 p.m. on Sept. 22, to 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 23, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions in the directions of the Chinarli settlement of Tovuzgala region and Yukhari Shorzha, Gunashli, and Zarkand settlements of Basarkechar region of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border using various caliber weapons," the ministry was quoted by Azertac agency.

Armenia for its part accused Azerbaijan of opening fire.

Earlier this week, Baku accused Armenia of staging "provocations" along the shared border by firing mortars and grenades at its forces.

Fighting between the two sides erupted earlier this month in clashes that left almost 200 soldiers dead – the bloodiest confrontation since a six-week war between the two ex-Soviet countries in 2020.

The fighting is linked to decadesold hostilities over control of the Karabakh region, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but, until 2020, largely controlled by Armenia. Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military illegally occupied Karabakh.

Clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, with the Armenian Army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and around 300 settlements and villages that Armenia had occupied for almost 30 years.

The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, which was seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia.

However, the cease-fire has been broken several times since then.

Azerbaijan says that Armenia is not ready to accept delimiting borders as well as the reality following the 2020 war.