STEPANAKERT—During yet another episode of intense exchange of gunfire at the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border. 19-year-old Armenian serviceman Viktor Abraamov was wounded by enemy fire. He was rushed to a military hospital where he is reported to be in serious, but stable, condition. The Artsakh Defense Ministry reported casualties for the Azerbaijani side and said an investigation is underway.

On the same night of Aug. 6 to 7, the Azerbaijani Army violated the ceasefire again and opened fire at the Armenian-Azeri border, shelling and firing upon Armenian military positions, including with the use of large-caliber weapons.

Over 546 shots were fired at Armenian positions. Armenian armed forces opened retaliatory fire in eight cases out of the 39 times the Azeris violated the ceasefire. No casualties from the Armenian side have been reported in that incident.

During the previous night of Aug. 5 to 6, the Azeris had violated the ceasefire again. The Azeris fired more than 7,000 shots, violating the ceasefire 56 separate times, the Armenian Defense Ministry said. Armenia’s armed forces opened retaliatory fire in 28 cases. 5,025 shots were fired by the Armenian side.

The Armenian Armed Forces continued to maintain control of the border, to strictly respect the ceasefire, and to take retaliatory actions only in case of targeted violations by the opposing side.

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited three Armenian POWs and five members of the Armenian family kept in Azerbaijani captivity.

The ICRC employees handed over four letters and three spoken messages from their relatives. In their turn, the Armenian captives sent back five letters to their families, spokesperson for the ICRC Baku Office Shahla Gahramanova told Azerbaijan’s Trend news agency.

Presently, three Armenian POWs and five members of an Armenian family are kept in Azerbaijani captivity, while one Azerbaijani POW remains in Armenia.