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The Azerbaijani authorities are acting in blatant violation of international norms and bear the responsibility for killing one, wounding several servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces as well as damaging the health of the wounded servicemen, Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan said in a statement on Friday. Tatoyan's statement came amid the fresh attack of the Azerbaijani side on the combat positions of the Armenian Army located in direction of Sotk-Verin Shorja border section in Gegharkuni province. 

Tatoyan next presented facts to his statement which are the illegal incursion of Azeri forces into the territory of Armenia and their positioning in the vicinity of Armenian villages and on the roads between communities. The Ombudsman recalled that since November 9, 2020, Azerbaijani servicemen are physically present in the lands that are legally owned by the residents of Armenia or are part of the communal ownership based on legal documents and property rights. 

"They are regularly firing in the direction of the villages, creating a real threat to the life and health of the civilians, and causing damage to their property and livestock as well as obstructing the agricultural works," the statement said, adding  due to their presence in the immediate vicinity of the villages and on the roads between the communities, the free movement of people remains limited, villagers live in isolation and face humanitarian problems.  

"The Azerbaijani authorities have intensified the state-sponsored policy of Armenophobia and propaganda of enmity. Crimes committed by Azeri soldiers are never punished, insteadthey are encouraged by the hughest leadership," said the Ombudsman.