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As of 10:30am Wednesday, the Office of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan has received alarming calls from civilians that the Azerbaijani armed forces are firing on Sotk, Kut, Azat, Norabak, Nerkin Shorzha, Verin Shorzha villages of Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.

In particular, the villages of Kut and Verin Shorzha are especially in a vulnerable state and are being directly targeted by Azerbaijan, the ombudsman said in a statement.

“The shootings are intensive, and are fired from both small and large caliber weapons. The human rights defender of Armenia recorded the official statement of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, that the Azerbaijani military attacks have political motives. Therefore, the defender draws the attention of international organizations to this statement,” he said.

“The facts verified by the Gegharkunik regional subdivision of the Office of the Human Rights Defender confirm that the shootings are constantly provoked by the Azerbaijani armed forces.

Those shootings are in the immediate vicinity of the Armenian villages, as well as at their direction, they have a common intention and are violating the rights, life and peace of the civilian population of Armenia,” the statement said.