STEPANAKERT, NKR—Armenian serviceman Karen Hovhannisyan was killed by a fatal gunshot wound in a shelling targeting his military unit by Azerbaijani forces on Aug. 12. Between Aug. 11-12, Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire more than 170 times, firing over 2,600 shots, according to a statement released by the Nagorno Karabagh Republic (NKR) Defense Ministry.
Private Hovhannisyan was posthumously awarded the “For Service in Battle” medal
Armenia’s Defense Ministry also released a statement voicing concern about Azerbaijan’s attempts at destabilizing the region and called for a peaceful resolution of the Karabagh conflict. “Since the closing of the European Games [held in Baku from June 12-28], Azerbaijan’s military and political leadership have continuously tried to destabilize the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and in the area controlled by the NKR Army,” read a part of the statement. The Ministry also stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire along the line of contact and called for an investigation into the ceasefire violations. “There needs to exist an atmosphere of mutual trust so that an international investigation of the ceasefire can take place,” read the statement.
Private Hovhannisyan was honored with a posthumous medal the following day by NKR President Bako Sahakyan. On Aug. 13, Sahakyan signed a presidential decree posthumously awarding Hovhannisyan with the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery shown during the defense of the NKR border.
According to a Defense Ministry statement last week, Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire on the Line of Contact about 1,100 times from July 26 to Aug. 1. During that time more than 17,000 shots were fired at Armenian servicemen by way of rifle and artillery weaponry, including mortar, rocket-propelled grenade, and heavy machine gun. Frontline forces of the NKR Defense Army suppressed these attacks, reported the Ministry.
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Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Armenian Serviceman Killed by Azerbaijani Fire
