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The Azerbaijani forces intended to deliberately target civilian population in Chinari village of Armenia’s Tavush region on the morning of December 29, 2016, while carrying out a sabotage infiltration attempt, Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan told reporters on Wednesday, presenting the results of the fact-finding mission conducted in the area after the assault.

“I want to specifically underline that no military base or object is deployed in the vicinity of the village that could be recalled by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Exclusively peaceful and civilian population reside in the area which unveils the adversary’s intention to deliberately harm the people’s lives and health,” Tatoyan stated.

The Ombudsman informed that the representatives of his office have conversed with Chinari residents, the village mayor, members of the village council, RA Armed Forces representatives as well as visited the sites were cases of human rights violations had been recorded.

Based on the fact-finding mission, an English-language report have been developed with geographic locations, mapped roads and schemes, depicting the details of the sabotage infiltration, particularly, when and how the two servicemen and the officer of the RA Armed Forces were killed. The report will be submitted to international structures. The ombudsman announced his upcoming visit to Strasburg next week where he plans to discuss the findings of the report with CoE high-ranking representatives, then in Brussels to raise the issue.

In the words of the Armenian Human Rights Defender the mission members recorded also shelling on January 3 and 8 toward the school and the houses of the village. “Our observations revealed that deliberate targeted attacks have taken place toward the civilian population by the adversary with an ultimate intention to harm people’s lives and health,” Tatoyan maintained.

At the press conference Tatoyan demonstrated footages taken at Chinari school and kindergarten, saying the facilities were under the target of Azerbaijani forces during the holidays, demonstrating the multiple bullet holes in the walls of those buildings as an evidence.
 
“On January 8 the adversary shelled the village at night - at a time when civilian population is especially exposed to vulnerability,” Tatoyan explained.

To remind, on the morning of December 29, 2016, Azerbaijani troops carried out a sabotage infiltration attempt from the Chinari village of the Tavush region of Armenia, towards the south-eastern portion of the state border.

Armenian Armed Forces neutralized the activities of the Azerbaijani troops and repelled the opponent. Unfortunately, the Armenian side also suffered losses during the combat operations. During the battle for the defense of the state border of the Republic of Armenia, senior Lieutenant Shavarsh Meliqseti Meliqyan, private Edgar Grigori Narayan, and private Erik Gariki Abovyan passed away. The Ministry of Defense stated to be in possession of proof of illegal violation of the state border of the Republic of Armenia by the Azerbaijani side.