Azerbaijani Forces Continue Provocative Actions Today Towards Shushi's Mets Shen and Hin Shen: Armenian Foreign Ministry

Azerbaijani forces have continued their provocative actions today towards the Mets Shen and Hin Shen settlements in the Shushi region. This information has been reported by the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"On December 11, around 20:40, taking advantage of the fact that there were no peacekeeping forces deployed in that part of the Republic of Artsakh, special units of the Azerbaijani armed forces launched an assault in the section of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line near the villages of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd in the Hadrut region, resulting in varying degrees of gunshot wounds for six servicemen of the Defense Army. Azerbaijani forces have also continued their provocative actions today towards the Mets Shen and Hin Shen settlements of the Shushi region," the statement said.

Strongly condemning this gross violation by the highest military-political leadership of Azerbaijan of the commitments made in the trilateral statement regarding the cessation of hostilities and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers, the Ministry emphasizes that these actions aim to undermine the presence of the Russian Federation's peacekeeping forces in the conflict zone.

It is noted that the Azerbaijani side, adhering to its traditional approach, provoked this incident during the visit of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to the region. Essentially, this challenge directed against the efforts of the co-chairing countries is a continuation of the bellicose and unacceptable statements made by the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan towards the Armenian people during the recent parade in Baku.

This behavior once again highlights the expansionist policies of Turkey and Azerbaijan, which continue to disrupt regional security and stability and pose risks to adjacent regions.

"The actions of official Baku make it even more imperative to address the consequences of the latest Azerbaijani aggression, including the de-occupation of Artsakh territories and the return of Armenians to their places of residence. Taking into account the fact of Azerbaijan's impunity for violations of its international obligations through the use of force and its consequences, we urge the co-chairing states of the OSCE Minsk Group to respond unequivocally, clearly, and directly to the Azerbaijani side's actions aimed at violating the ceasefire, ethnic cleansing, and the occupation of Armenian settlements," the statement concluded.