NATO calls for stopping escalation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO has urged Armenia and Azerbaijan take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation on the border, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General James Appathurai said on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14.

"We are following with concern the developments on the bilateral border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, involving the use of heavy weapons and resulting in the loss of lives," Appathurai wrote.

"We echo the Minsk Group Chairs in calling upon all sides to take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation."

On July 12, Azerbaijan launched two failed infiltration attempts on the border with Armenia whose troops immediately identified the saboteurs and thwarted them back to their positions. Since the next morning, the Azerbaijani military has been firing on the Armenian positions, also using large caliber grenade launchers and combat drones to target civilian homes in several border settlements. Four servicemen of the Armenian army have been killed, and two police officers and three contract soldiers have sustained slight injuries, while Azerbaijan has reported 11 deaths.