May 19, 2017 - 18:10 AMT
Azerbaijani army units open mortar fire towards their own positions

Azerbaijani armed forces opened mortar fire towards their own positions twice on Friday, May 19 afternoon, the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Defense Army said in a statement.

“Deliberately escalating the situation on the contact line and initiating provocations in recent days, Azerbaijan has today taken incomprehensible measures,” the statement said.

Azeri troops, in particular, employed 60-mm mortars to shell their own positions.

“The incident either proves that the rival’s personnel have poor command of their professional duties, or points to the lack of a vertical system of management, enabling any commander to make decisions,” the statement said.

Also, the Artsakh army assumed that Azerbaijan may be paving the way for new provocations on the contact line.

According to the Karabakh Defense Army, the Armenian side remained committed to the ceasefire and refrained from using force.

Around 90 ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan were registered on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) on May 18 and the following night, with more than 1300 shots fired from various caliber firearms. Besides, Azeri forces also employed a grenade launcher and a 60-mm mortar in various directions of the frontline.