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U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price on Thursday reacted to Azerbaijan’s crossing into Armenia’s Syunik Province.

“We are closely following reports of increased tensions along a non-demarcated portion of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. We understand communication between the parties is ongoing and urge restraint in de-escalating the situation peacefully,” he tweeted.

Armenia has applied to the CSTO over the Azerbaijani encroachment on the country’s sovereign territory.

At an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Thursday, Armenia’s interim Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the situation at the border section close to Sev Lich (Black Lake) in Syunik Province and the surrounding area remains explosive.

The Azerbaijani forces crossed the state border of Armenia and advanced as far as 3.5 kilometers in that section earlier on Wednesday in an effort to take control of the area near the lake.

Pashinyan said some 250 Azerbaijani troops were still located within Armenia’s state borders, particularly in some parts of Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces.