SYUNIK, Armenia / MARTAKERT, Artsakh (varied sources) – Baku continues provocative actions on both the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh. On Monday, August 23, Azerbaijani soldiers blocked the Goris-Kapan road in Syunik. According to Armenia’s ombudsman, Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan, Azerbaijani soldiers have also appeared on the road running from Goris to Vorotan. Their soldiers have been seen near the village of David Bek. Tatoyan has posted Facebook pictures that show the Azerbaijani flag beside one of Syunik’s roads.
Negotiations between Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian authorities have not yielded any substantial results. Kapan’s mayor Gevorg Parsyan was not sure whether the talks could lead to a positive outcome. Access to several rural settlements of Syunik has become harder and food and medication shortage might occur, according to local sources.
Speaking in the parliament, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggested that people use the alternative access road, which lacks asphalt but allegedly is being repaired now. Armenia’s defense minister Arshak Karapetyan is in Syunik.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, August 25, an Azerbaijani soldier appeared in the town of Martakert of Artsakh. According to local Armenian sources, he entered a household where only two children were present, locked them in and demanded food. At some point, one of the Armenian children was able to leave the room and call the police. Artsakh’s law enforcement institutions arrested the military, who was identified as Jamil Babayev. Azerbaijani official sources confirmed that Babayev had left a hospital in Gyandja (Gandzak).
Update — Syunik Roads Open
Mayor Parsyan of Kapan told ArmenPress on August 27 that the roads in Syunik are open, while Armenia’s National Security Service reported that the Goris-Vorotan and Shurnuk-Kamrakar roads have reopened.
