Three Armenian Soldiers Killed in Fresh Azerbaijani Truce Violation

YEREVAN — Three Armenian soldiers were killed and another Azerbaijani truce violations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported.

According to the ministry, Armenian troops deployed near the village of Sotk in Gegharkunik province came under “intensive” cross-border fire early in the morning. In an earlier report the ministry said there were two killed soldiers and one wounded.

Azerbaijani troops began shelling Armenian positions deployed near Sotk at 7.50 in the morning and continued until late in the afternoon. They used apart small arms, also drones and mortars. At 12 25 Azerbaijanis began shelling at Armenian positions deployed near Norabak, another Gegharkunik village close to Sotk

“Armenian army units are taking necessary defensive measures,” read a fresh ministry statement.

Armenian Defense Ministry also released video footage showing concentration of military equipment and additional personnel by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the Sotk direction.

Later, the ministry said as of 14:30 the intensity of shelling in the direction of Sotk and Norabak was decreasing.

The Sotk area has been one of the most volatile sections of the long Armenian-Azerbaijani border since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Deadly fighting raged there for several consecutive days in early May.

Armenia’s largest gold mine located near Sotk halted production operations in April due to systematic cross-border gunfire targeting its workers and production facilities. The village was shelled by the Azerbaijani army and sustained heavy damage during more large-scale clashes that broke out at this and other border sections in September 2022.

The three killed Armenian soldiers were identified as Andranik Antonyan, Arsen Mkrtichyan and Vachagan Vardanyan.