Armenia denies accusations of using phosphorous shells

The Armenia's Ministries of Defence (MoD) and Foreign Affairs (MFA) have denied the statement of the Azerbaijani MFA about the use of prohibited ammunition by Armenian militaries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that at night of April 2, the situation in the Karabakh conflict zone was escalated. The parties to the conflict were engaged in combat actions with the use of tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and aircrafts, which resulted in a large number of victims. On April 5, the sides to the conflict declared a truce; however, they periodically accuse each other of violation of agreements on ceasefire.

Let us remind you that on May 10 experts of the National Agency for Demining Territories of Azerbaijan (known as ANAMA) found a 122-mm calibre unexploded phosphorus artillery shell in the village of Askipara. The chemical composition of such ammunition is banned by international conventions.

Khikmet Gadjiev, the official spokesman of the Azerbaijani MFA, has stated the use by Armenia of banned phosphorus shells, The "Trend" reports today.

The edition says that the Azerbaijani MFA, has organized, jointly with the MoD, a trip to the village of Askipara of the military attachés of the foreign embassies accredited in Azerbaijan, in order to acquaint them with the fact of Armenia's use of a phosphorus shell.

The RIA "Novosti" writes today that, in their turn, the Armenia's MFA and MoD have denied the accusations of using any phosphorus shells.

According to Tigran Balayan, the press secretary of the Armenian MFA, Yerevan treats these accusations as "absurd", the RIA "Novosti" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.