Azerbaijan has taken a unilateral decision to cease retaliatory action against the Armenian armed forces.

“In the light of persistent calls from international organizations and given the fact that the government of Azerbaijan is pursuing a peaceful policy, the Azerbaijani armed forces took a unilateral decision to stop counter-attacks and retaliatory action against the enemy in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the ministry of defense said in a statement. “The armed forces decided to launch defensive measures in the retaken territories and areas.”

However, the ministry said, “if the Armenian military continues carrying out provocations and firing on our residential areas and positions, the Azerbaijani troops will use all the weaponry in hand to continue offensive operations in order to destroy the enemy, liberate the occupied territories and ensure our territorial integrity.”

AZERTAC