- The Ministry of Defense of Armenia denies Azerbaijan’s claim that the Armenian side opened fire around 11:10 on March 31.
- The Ministry of Defense of Armenia also denies Baku’s claim that the Armenian side opened fire from the evening of March 30 to the morning of March 31.
- The Armenian side reports that on March 31, around 00:50, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of the village of Khnatsakh in the Syunik region.
- A residential house was damaged as a result of the shooting in Khnatsakh, there are no casualties.
- Armenia reaffirms its proposal to create a joint mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations, to which Azerbaijan has not yet responded.
Tension on the Border: Armenian Ministry of Defense Denies Azerbaijani Accusations and Reports Shelling of Khnatsakh
The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia has denied the two reports disseminated by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan regarding the opening of fire by the Armenian armed forces. At the same time, the Armenian side reported on the shooting by the Azerbaijani side in the direction of the village of Khnatsakh in the Syunik region, as a result of which a residential house was damaged. Yerevan has once again stressed the need to create a bilateral mechanism for investigating cases of ceasefire violations.
Armenian Ministry of Defense: Azerbaijan’s Statement on March 31 Fire Does Not Correspond to Reality
The Ministry of Defense of Armenia has stated that the message of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, alleging that on March 31, at around 11:10, the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of Azerbaijani positions located in the southeastern part of the border zone, does not correspond to reality. The Armenian Ministry of Defense recalled that the staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia had previously proposed to create an Armenia-Azerbaijan joint mechanism for investigating cases of ceasefire violations and/or information about them, but Baku has not yet responded to this proposal.
Denial and Counter-Accusation: Residential House in Khnatsakh Targeted
The Armenian Ministry of Defense also denied another report of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, according to which the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire on Azerbaijani positions located in the eastern and southeastern parts of the border zone from 22:30 on March 30 to 04:35 on March 31. The Armenian defense agency reported that this claim also does not correspond to reality. Instead, the Ministry of Defense informed that on March 31, at around 00:50, the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of the village of Khnatsakh in the Syunik region. A residential house was damaged as a result of the shooting, but fortunately, there were no casualties.
Call to Investigate Incidents: Yerevan Awaits Baku’s Response
In parallel with the two denials, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia reaffirmed its readiness, in accordance with the position of the staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia, to investigate the facts substantiating the reports of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, if they are provided to the Armenian side. At the same time, the Armenian Ministry of Defense called on the Azerbaijani side to investigate the shelling of a residential house in the village of Khnatsakh and to issue public clarifications. Armenia continues to emphasize the importance of creating a bilateral mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations as a means of reducing tension and strengthening mutual trust.