An Azeri sniper at the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border

STEPANAKERT—The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Ministry of Defense on Monday blasted Baku for disseminating false information regarding deaths of Armenian soldiers on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border, saying the disinformation campaign was unsuccessful.

Azeri press reports on Monday, quoting unknown sources, claimed that Azeri forces had killed eight soldiers of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army. Karabakh Defense Ministry spokesperson, Senor Asatryan said that Azerbaijan was not only confused about the realities on the battlefield, but also in its propaganda efforts.

”They could have at least changed the number, otherwise they are using the exact same number [of soldiers] they lost before November 26,” said Asratyan. “It is nothing but a failed disinformation effort by Azerbaijan.”

Two Nagorno-Karabakh Republic soldiers were killed on November 19 and 20 as a result of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan. The Karabakh side responded with an attack tha killed one soldier and wounded seven.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, a regular OSCE monitoring was held at the Ijevan-Ghazakh part of the border with Azerbaijan, near the village of Kayan.

From the Armenian side the monitoring was conducted by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, Coordinator of the OSCE Office Imre Palatinus (Hungary) and Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Christo Christov (Bulgaria) and Marius Puodziunas (Lithuania).

During the monitoring the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs crossed the Armenian-Azeri border on foot.

The monitoring was preceded by a briefing at the Governor’s Office of Tavush marz.