Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan has urged the international community to rein in Azerbaijan after its recent provocation on the border with Armenia.

An Armenian contract soldier was killed in Azerbaijan's cross-border fire in Tavush province on Wednesday, September 19. According to preliminary information, the serviceman, Haykaz Matevosyan (b. 1980), received a gunshot wound in the neck. Matevosyan died on the way to the military hospital.

"Recently, Azerbaijan has been continuously shelling the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, targeting and damaging settlements, civilian institutions and civilian populations of border villages," Balayan said in a statement later on Wednesday.

"Baku's actions aimed at escalating the situation, accompanied by bellicose rhetoric, undermine efforts by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the international community to create an environment conducive to peace.

"We strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s actions and draw the attention of the international community, firstly the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, to the urgent necessity to rein in Azerbaijan and put it on a constructive path in order to prevent the escalation of the situation."