The site of the downed helicopter in Artsakh
Attack Repelled; Casualties Include 12-Year-Old Artsakh Boy
STEPANAKER, YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Azerbaijan launched a full-blown attack on multiple positions of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic border overnight on April 1-2. President Serzh Sarkisian on Saturday called an emergency National Security Council meeting, after which he reported that 18 soldiers were killed and 30 were wounded.
The Azerbaijani army employed tanks, military helicopters, drones, and various caliber weapons in an assault targeting the Line of Contact on the southern, southeastern, and northeastern fronts. The Artsakh Defense Army retaliated, and, according to the Artsakh Defense Ministry Twitter page, brought down two helicopters and two drones, and destroyed three tanks. There are multiple casualties on both sides; Azerbaijan has reported 12 combatant casualties. Civilians have also been targeted. According to reports, 12-year-old Vaghinag Grigoryan was killed in the Marduni region, while two other children were wounded, from a Grad BM-21 multiple rocket launcher attack.
A number of Armenian soldiers wounded in the attack are being flown to Yerevan for medical treatment, according to PanArmenian.net. Meanwhile Artsakh President’s spokesperson Davit Babayan told Civilnet that the number of Azerbaijani casualties are in the dozens, if not hundreds. Babayan told Tert.am that the situation is now relatively calm following the overnight attacks.
Karabakh forces shot down an Azerbaijani Army helicopter in an effort to repel attacks
According to reports, Sarkisian was briefed on the attack midair, on his way to Yerevan from Washington. Meanwhile, Artsakh Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan immediately returned to Artsakh from Yerevan.
Following the NSC meeting Saturday, President Sarkisian called the attacks the worse attacks since the 1994 cease fire.
“Dear colleagues, as you know, the Azerbaijan armed forces undertook provocative actions all along the line of contact with the Karabakh forces. These were the most large-scale military actions ever since 1994 undertaken by the Azerbaijani side,â€
