Armenia accuses its border guards of recent shootout

The Armenian National Security Service has unveiled the results of the investigation into the incident on the conditional Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the direction of Armenia’s Nerkin Khndzoresk village.

A conscript soldier of the border troops of the Armenian National Security Service was informed that a shepherd and his cattle lost and entered the Azerbaijani territory on April 10. Together with his colleagues, the conscript soldier decided to cross the border without permission and return the cattle, the Armenian National Security Service said, Caliber.Az reports citing the Armenian media.

According to the message, the conscript soldier violated the rules of military service. This caused big damage, led to a shootout and endangered the lives and health of people.

“As a result of the incident, an Azerbaijani border guard was wounded. While expressing regret over the incident, the National Security Service took measures for the military personnel of its Border Service to strictly observe the military rules and to prevent such incidents,” the message says.

Proceeding from the results of the internal investigation, a corresponding appeal was sent to the Investigative Committee. A criminal case has been filed and an investigation is underway to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The information went viral that the incident occurred on the territory of the border combat point of the “Gubadli” separate border division of the Azerbaijani State Border Service in the settlement of Jijimli of the Gubadli district on April 10 at about 15:20 (GMT+4).

Two people brought approximately 200 sheep 300 metres deep into the Azerbaijani territory from Nerkin Khndzoresk.

The Azerbaijani border guards were trying to prevent the violation of the state border, but were fired at from a combat post of the Armenian Armed Forces from the opposite side, as a result of which senior lieutenant Rovshan Mammadov was wounded.