14000 ceasefire violations: Artsakh military presents 2017 data

The situation in the line of contact of Artsakh-Azerbaijan can be separated into two parts in 2017.

The first half of 2017 stood out by tension, large caliber weapons used by Azerbaijan and infiltration-reconnaissance attempts.

The two simultaneous attempts of Azerbaijani military to infiltrate Martuni and Akna direction on February 25 are noteworthy here, where it used TROPA type anti-landmine equipment, grenade launchers and large caliber weapons.

The Artsakh military said it was also due to the surveillance devices, which were installed after April 2016, that both attempts were prevented. Azerbaijan sustained five losses in manpower during the failed sabotage attempt, after which Baku was forced to apply to the OSCE Minsk Group and the ICRC, asking to mediate in transferring the bodies from the no man’s land.

In the second half of 2017, with the exception of July and October 23, 24, when Azerbaijan used D30 Howitzer and D44 cannons, TR 107 multiple rocket launchers and SPIKE guided missiles, the situation was relatively calm, while the ceasefire was mostly violated by Azerbaijan through small arms fire.

Overall, according to Artsakh military, Azerbaijan made over 14000 ceasefire violations in 2017, firing more than 180,000 rounds, with hundreds over thousand of mortar shells, hundreds of grenades and cannon shells.