Azerbaijanis Throw Stones at Shepherds in Aravus Village, Shouting Insults

Residents of Aravus village in the Syunik region continue to confront manifestations of Azerbaijani hostility. Following an incident where the enemy pulled on a village shepherd, provocations and psychological pressures against the locals have persisted, with stones being thrown at other shepherds grazing their livestock and insults being hurled.

Aravus residents have no alternative as the only remaining pasture in the village is there, and they continue to graze their animals. "Azerbaijanis are throwing stones at the shepherds and cursing at them. There is no place to graze the livestock - just a little area where they can graze," stated Aram Hovsepyan, the village mayor, to 'Factinfo.'

Security issues in the village remain unresolved. According to Hovsepyan, conscripts are guarding the borders, but they have applied to form a militia and receive arms to reinforce border security alongside soldiers; however, no solution has been provided to this problem. He expressed that they want to move the positions closer so villagers can engage in livestock farming more safely.

"Now we want to bring the post a bit closer so that the shepherds can graze their livestock. It would be good if a militia could be established. What I'm saying is that the boys from Aravus should be registered to make our border safer. There is still nothing, and I don't know what happened to the issue," Hovsepyan said.

It is worth recalling that about a week ago, Azerbaijanis had used violence against one of the village shepherds, pulling him, hitting him in the eye, and releasing him only after noticing Armenian soldiers rushing towards them. This incident has yet to receive a legal assessment from the Armenian law enforcement agencies.

Aravus village has more than 170 residents who have been deprived of security and access to the community’s own pastures. Following the trilateral statement on November 9, 63 hectares of land belonging to the community have remained under Azerbaijani control. The positions of Aravus are located from 100 to 500 meters behind the Azerbaijani observation post. However, the shepherds who take their animals to graze stand just a meter away from the enemy. Currently, only 25-30 hectares of rocky pasture land remain in the village. Residents have already sold dozens of livestock due to the lack of grazing areas.