EU Mission Denies Targeting of Patrols Following Armenian Defense Ministry Statement

The EU Mission in Armenia has denied a statement made by the Armenian Defense Ministry claiming that Azerbaijani forces fired at EU patrols conducting monitoring in the Verin Shorja area.

“No EU patrol involved in monitoring has come under fire,” the mission stated in its announcement.

The mission emphasized that they operate in border regions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and report any incidents of gunfire, including those within their area of responsibility, to Brussels.

This comes after a statement from the Armenian Defense Ministry indicated that, around 12:20 PM on August 15, Azerbaijani Armed Forces units opened fire with small arms towards EU observers conducting patrols, as well as towards their vehicles.

It is worth noting that on February 20, a new European mission consisting of 100 personnel was deployed in Armenia with a two-year mandate. The mission aims to contribute to stability in the border regions of Armenia, enhance confidence-building measures, and create conditions that support efforts for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.