By Nazrin Gadimova

Russian “Ekho Moskvy” radio station reports that Armenians living in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are being evacuated from the Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Furthermore, “Komsomolskaya Pravda” informed that Armenians are leaving the settlements in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.  Shusha is almost deserted, correspondent Shagen Nazarian told the Russian media, adding that people are afraid and are hiding at home. 

“Strong fights continue in the southern direction, in Hadrut.  My cousins and sister are living there,and my mother is planning to take them out in case of a large-scale war.  If the situation keeps unchanged, probably, they will take the children to Yerevan,” Nazarian added. 

Armenians residing in the Armenian-occupied Aghdere region of Azerbaijan has begun to leave their homes, the Armenian bureau of the Radio Liberty reports. 

Reportedly, the government has set up posts at the outskirts of the town of Askeran to prevent population, mostly young people, leaving their homes.  A number of pictures and videos proving mass evacuation have been disseminated in social networks. 

Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ strong response to the provocation of Armenian militaries have also caused panic among the Armenian military and led to massive losses in the army. 

Local media reports that the commanders of the Armenian armed forces shot 17 people, who refused to take part in military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh and tried to flee. 

On April 2, the Armenian military units located in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan made another provocative action along the entire length of contact line as the Azerbaijani positions along the frontline came under fire from large-calibre weapons, mortars, artillery and grenade-launchers.  Some residential areas and refugee settlements close to the frontline also came under fire. 

This resulted in the killing of two civilians and injuring of 10 another, including a 13 year old child.  More than 10 houses as well as local people`s property were also damaged. 

The Azerbaijani armed forces command took an immediate decision to launch counter attacks in order to prevent the activation of the Armenian military units in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions and to protect civilian population.  Located in the most tense Aghdara-Tartar-Aghdam and Khojavand-Fuzuli directions, the Azerbaijani military units immediately carried out retaliatory actions against the Armenian troops. 

As a result of these measures the Azerbaijani armed forces broke the first defensive line, where the Armenian units had carried out fortification and engineering work for years, and also took over several strategic hills and residential areas. 

The Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish capable of posing threat to Goranboy region and the town of Naftalan, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fuzuli region. 

Six Armenian tanks and 15 artillery units and engineering installations were destroyed, tens of Armenian servicemen were killed or injured. 

Twelve Azerbaijani servicemen were killed in the fighting, a Mi-24 helicopter was shot down, and a mine blast damaged a tank. 

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

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