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There are 32 border villages in Tavush province of Armenia, and the border with Azerbaijan stretches for 300 km in the area, Deputy Director of the MES Rescue Service Major General Astvatsatur Petrosyan told reporters on Wednesday. In the words of the MES official, the new combat positions are of major importance for Armenia as they ensure the security of the civilians in border villages.

Petrosyan reminded that the Azerbaijani forces targeted his vehicle when he was on humanitarian mission in the province on July 11. He next informed that the new combat positions fall within 340-500 meters from the border inside the Armenian territory.

In his words, the Azerbaijani side launched sabotage infiltration attempt and during the July 12 incident the UAZ vehicle carried exclusively Azerbaijani officers, two of whom were representatives of special forces units.

The Azerbaijanis entered the neutral zone under the control of Armenian military units and attempted a secret operation which ultimately failed. Then they launched offensive through the use of artillery and tanks.

Astvatsatur Petrosyan said that the current territory of Azerbaijani Tovuz region has been 90% Armenian settlement and even the toponym Tovuz derives from Armenian name Tavush. The settlement once had 25 thousand Armenian population, while the Armenian fortress is some 12 km away from the new positions.