Press Release of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The military provocation of the Armenian armed forces on July 12 in the direction of the Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian border was prevented, and the enemy forces faced adequate retaliatory strikes. Today, the situation in the region continues to be tense, and all the attacks of the Armenian armed forces have been met with appropriate countermeasures.

On July 13, 2020, the Armenian armed forces targeted the village of Dondar Gushchu in the Tovuz district of Azerbaijan and its civilian population using large-caliber weapons. By this act, Armenia has once again demonstrated its aggressive and terrorist nature.

As in the April events of 2016, Armenia, engaged in artillery shelling of densely populated territories of Azerbaijan, grossly violates all its obligations, fundamental norms and principles of international law, including international humanitarian law. And the Armenian leadership, which is behind this provocation, reveals its Nazi nature.

As a result of the ongoing provocation of the Armenian armed forces, there are still no casualties among the Azerbaijani civilian population, and all enemy attacks are adequately prevented. The Armenian leadership should be sure that every Azerbaijani civilian share and demonstrates the high determination and courage shown by the Azerbaijani armed forces on the battlefield. Because Azerbaijan's position is a position of justice and is based on international law.

The leadership of Armenia by continuing the aggressive policy, and trying to strengthen the consequences of the occupation of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, must be sure that this policy promises nothing but shame, failure and self-destruction. The Armenian leadership should not think that their actions will go unpunished. As in any case of every occupation, the Armenian occupation is temporary and the country will be held accountable for all its illegal actions.