Two Days Ago, Azerbaijani Forces Surrounded and Threatened a Shepherd; This Is a Government Issue, Not a Community Matter

In contrast to Syunik, where intensive negotiations are ongoing under the mediation of Russian peacekeepers, the situation in Gegharkunik is not as promising. According to reports, the adversary attempted to advance today, but the Armenian Armed Forces prevented the incursion.

Hakob Avetyan, the head of the consolidated community of Geghamasar (which includes the village of Kut), did not deny the attempts of the adversary to advance but declined to specify how they were repelled.

It is worth noting that on May 12, simultaneous border violation incidents were recorded along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Syunik and Gegharkunik regions. The enemy managed to penetrate our borders from both regions by approximately 2.5 to 3.5 kilometers, amassing troops that have yet to withdraw for about a week.

In the areas of Verin Shorja and Kut in Gegharkunik, under the guise of positional work, Azerbaijanis, armed with fake maps, claim that they have retained control over the areas called "Sar" pastures belonging to the regions of Akunk, Kut, Vardenis, and Verin Shorja. According to the community head, the enemy is 4-5 kilometers away from Kut: "It is not that they are advancing on a large scale and it is noticeable; however, it is evident that they are moving forward and trying to establish positions and delineate borders for themselves."

The community leader is doing everything possible to prevent panic within the community, but residents are hearing news about the adversary, and "how can they not be restless?" The mayor recounts that two days ago, Azerbaijani forces surrounded a shepherd in the village, threatening that if he didn’t quickly vacate the area—the pasture—they would take him captive: "They did not take him captive; the shepherd quickly gathered the livestock and returned from the pasture. The village's livestock is grazing in that area now, and we are waiting to see what solution the government will find."

“How can we negotiate on the spot? The government is aware of everything; this issue needs to be resolved at the government level, it is not a matter for this community leader. Trilateral negotiations are necessary,” he emphasized. When asked if negotiations are ongoing and what he knows about them, he said: "The Ministry of Defense and the army are present in that area, and representatives from the government come and go, but that's not the important part; what matters is the result. Up until now, there is nothing good, only bad. Since the incursion on May 12, they have continued to advance, and accumulations are noticeable, but we cannot fall into panic. If the negotiations yield normal results, they will retreat; if not, what can I say?"

According to the community leader, the disputed area is not contentious; that mountain has been part of Armenia since the Soviet era: "They have advanced a lot from the areas they occupied in November-December," he said.