Armenian soldier Arthur Ohanjanyan, aged 20, received a deadly injury in Azeri frontline shooting in the southern direction of the Line of Contact of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s troops on May 20, the NKR Defense Ministry press service said.
An investigation is underway.
On May 21, the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree to posthumously award a medal “For Service in Battle” to junior sergeant Arthur Ohanjanyan for bravery shown in state border defense, Artsakh Republic President press service reported.
In recent months, Azerbaijan has been continuously violating the ceasefire, shelling Armenian and Artsakh frontline, as well as border villages of Armenia.
On the morning of April 19, Azeri troops shelled settlements in Armenia’s Tavush province. Some of the villagers working in the vineyards managed to escape, yet others stayed put. The head of the village of Aygepar Andranik Aydinyan expressed concern over the fates of the latters, with mobile connection cut and no information available.
The village of Choratan was also fired on; the shelling started at 9 am and lasted for almost half an hour. As the head of the village Varuzhan Baghramyan said, “Azeri troops targeted peaceful villagers working in the gardens. Fortunately, no one was injured. Azeri shelling became a pretty common occurrence here.”
Border villages of Aygepar, Movses, Nerkin Karmiraghbryur in Armenia’s Tavush province were intensively shelled in a lengthy Azeri attack on the night of April 15, Yerkir.am said.
Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan confirmed the information to PanARMENIAN.Net “The shelling ceased after Armenian units adequately responded to the attack. Fortunately, no losses or injuries on Armenian side were reported,” he said. The village of Aygepar was left without gas supplies, with the pipe bringing gas to the village damaged in the attack.
On March 24, Garnik Torosyan, 22, was shot dead while on duty at the contact line between Karabakh and Azeri armed forces.
Nagorno Karabakh army soldier Arman Ghukasyan, 20, died from gunshot wounds while on duty on March 19; another serviceman, Varazdat Zakaryan was injured.
In late January, a Nagorno Karabakh army soldier, Karen Galstyan, aged 20, sustained a deadly injury in a sniper attack at the northern direction of the line of contact with the Azerbaijani armed forces.
Simultaneous attempts of penetration by the Azerbaijani subversive groups were recorded on January 19-20 in the north-eastern (Jraberd) and south-eastern (Korgan) directions of the line of contact. The front units of the armed forces of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic noticed the actions of the Azerbaijani subversive groups and started an organized defense in both directions.
The rival was thrown back suffering palpable human and material losses. Junior Sergeant Armen Hovhannisyan died from the wounds he received during the exchange of fire.
