2018 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes

Gyunnyut Operation (Azerbaijani: Günnüt əməliyyatı) or Gyunnyut clashes (Azerbaijani: Günnüt döyüşləri) began on 20 May 2018 between the Armenian Armed Forces and Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Clashes and subsequent military operations ended with Azerbaijan regaining several occupied villages and strategic positions within the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, these areas had previously been part of a no man's land between the Azerbajiani and Armenian lines.[3] On the end of May, Nakhchivan Separate Combined-arms Army regained control of Gyunnut, a village in Sharur District that has been completely destroyed by the Armenian forces in 1992, and two strategic positions, Khunutdagh and Aghbulag.[4] Azerbaijani Armed Forces also regained control of and took new positions on Kyzylkaya and Mehridagh strategic positions. They also reportedly took new positions in a previously unoccupied neutral zone in Nakhchivan near Armenian village of Areni in Vayots Dzor Province.[5][6]

Gyunnyut Operation
Part of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Date20–27 May 2018
(1 week)
Location
Sharur District, Sadarak District, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan
Result See Aftermath section
Territorial
changes		 Azerbaijan regains 1,100 hectares (11 km²) or 10–15 km² of land in the buffer zone.[1][2]
Belligerents
 Armenia  Azerbaijan
Commanders and leaders
Nikol Pashinyan (Prime Minister of Armenia, Commander-in-Chief)
David Tonoyan (Defense Minister of Armenia)		 Ilham Aliyev
(President of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief)
Zakir Hasanov (Defense Minister of Azerbaijan)
Units involved
Armed Forces of Armenia Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Casualties and losses

Per Armenian sources:

  • 1 soldier killed

Azerbaijani claim:

  • 2 soldiers killed

Per Azerbaijani sources:

  • 1 soldier killed

Armenia's Foreign Ministry confirmed and condemned Azerbaijan's actions at the border as "unacceptable and irresponsible steps aimed at escalating the situation". They also said that "it is regrettable but at the same time very predictable practice of Azerbaijan to exploit any display of goodwill and humanistic approach [from] Armenia for its own propagandistic purposes". They also warned that "any provocative action on the Azerbaijani side will be immediately stopped and will trigger the adequate response from the Armenian side".[7]

One soldier of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces,[8] and one or two soldiers of the Armenian Armed Forces were reported KIA during the military operations.[9]

Background

Armenian forces seized control of Gyunnyut, which is located Sharur District of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, in 1992.[10]

On 16 May 2018 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. He stated that Nakhchivan branch of the Azerbaijani Army possessed missiles which could easily reach Armenia's capital, Yerevan.[11] Two days later, on 17 May Armenia's new Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs visited the Armenian–Nakhchivan border to inspect military positions.[12]

Clashes

According to some Azerbaijani military bloggers and news sites, Azerbaijani positions in the Sharur District of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic became exposed to artillery fire of the Armenian Armed Forces.[7]

On next day, Azerbaijani Army concluded that a counter-attack is necessary. With an order of the Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov, Nakhchivan Separate Combined-arms Army launched an offensive operation near Gyunnyut.[13]

Aftermath
Azerbaijani army built military posts in Günnüt after 2018-war

Gyunnyut clashes were the largest military confrontation on the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops since April War that ended on 5 April 2016. There are various speculations about the beginning of the operation. Azerbaijani military experts accused Armenia of planning an attack on Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.[14]

On 8 June 2018 Azerbaijani Government announced that they started to build a new road that would be 50 km long. They also started to rebuild the roads that were destroyed during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Azerbaijani Armed Forces have taken up new positions in strategic locations.[15]

Casualties

Azerbaijani casualties

On 20 May 2018 Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence reported the death of infantryman Adil Tatarov who died while "carrying out an official assignment on the border of [Nakhchivan] and Armenia". The Armenian side stated that the corresponding Azerbaijani soldier had advanced towards the border.[16] In response the Defence Ministry of Armenia accused Azerbaijan of breaking the ceasefire and said that "in recent weeks, at certain sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border Azerbaijani forces are conducting active engineering works to improve and move forward their positions".[2] Nevertheless, on 6 June Adil Tatarov received the "For Courage" Medal with an order of Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, colonel-general Zakir Hasanov.[17]

Rank Name Birth date Burial date Place of Burial
Private Adil Ali oglu Tatarov[18] 1999 21 May 2018 Kyrakh Kesaman, Agstafa District, Azerbaijan

Armenian casualties

Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence claimed that three Armenian soldiers were killed during the operation. Armenian Ministry of Defence confirmed the death of Martin Khachatryan, but denied the claims of Hamlet Grigoryan getting killed in Northern Nakhchivan. They reported that he committed suicide in Eastern parts of de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.[19]

Rank Name Birth date Burial date Place of burial
Private Martin Grigor Khachatryan[20] 1999 23 May 2018 ?
Private Hamlet Norayr Grigoryan (disputed)[21] 1999 21 May 2018 ?
gollark: I can't exactly rigorously mathematically define interesting or something.
gollark: ...
gollark: I don't know.
gollark: However, we also have really stupid problems such as having a dynamic IP and stuff, so reliability is only something like 98%.
gollark: I delete you or sandbox you.

References
  1. "Ordumuzun Naxçıvandakı yeni mövqelərinin görüntüləri FOTO, VİDEO" (in Azerbaijani). realpress.az. 30 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  2. "Azerbaijan makes a move in Nakhichevan amid change of guard in Armenia". civilnet.am. 1 June 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  3. Kucera, Joshua. "Azerbaijani military advances on tense Nakhchivan-Armenia border". eurasianet.org. eurasianet.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  4. "Azerbaijan makes territorial gains in Nakhchivan as fighting with Armenia flares". www.intellinews.com. www.intellinews.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. "Azərbaycan Ordusu 11 min hektardan artıq ərazini işğaldan azad edib". 1news.az (in Azerbaijani). 1news.az. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  6. "Azərbaycan ordusu Naxçıvan istiqamətində irəlilədi, böyük ərazini nəzarətə götürdü" (in Azerbaijani). sonxeber.az. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  7. "Azerbaijan 'makes territorial gains' in Nakhchivan". oc.media.org. 12 June 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  8. "Qələbəmizin Günnüt salnaməsi". www.serqqapisi.az. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  9. "Armenians expect Pashinyan to abolish army maintenance tax". Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  10. "GÜNNÜT KƏNDİ 26 İLDƏN SONRA İŞĞALDAN AZAD OLUNUB" (in Azerbaijani). cbc.az. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  11. "Prezident İlham Əliyev Naxçıvanda səfərdədir" (in Azerbaijani). Baku: sputnik.az. 16 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  12. "Defence minister visits south-western sector of borderline". Yerevan: Armenian Ministry of Defence. 18 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  13. "Azərbaycan ordusu daha bir kəndi işğaldan azad etdi - RƏSMİ" (in Azerbaijani). Sputnik.az. 8 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  14. "Hərbi ekspert: Laçın yoluna nəzarət işğaldan qurtulmaq üçün addımdır" (in Azerbaijani). oxu.az. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  15. "Naxçıvanda 11 min hektardan artıq ərazi və Şərurun Günnüt kəndi düşməndən azad edilib - RƏSMİ - VİDEO" (in Azerbaijani). report.az. 8 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  16. Rzaev, Shahin (15 June 2018). "Op-ed: On the Nakhchivan incident and possible new Karabakh negotiation format". Baku: jaw-news.net. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  17. "Şəhid Adil Əli oğlu Tatarov "Şücaətə görə" medalı ilə təltif olunub" (in Azerbaijani). Agstafa City Government Executive. 22 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  18. "Azərbaycan ordusu Naxçıvan istiqamətində irəlilədi - Böyük ərazini nəzarətə götürdü" (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  19. "Զինծառայող Համլետ Գրիգորյանի մահվան դեպքով ինքնասպանության հասցնելու հոդվածով քրգործ է հարուցվել" (in Armenian). aysor.am. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  20. "Զինվոր է զոհվել՝ Մարտին Գրիգորի Խաչատրյանը" (in Armenian). civilnet.am. 23 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  21. "Մահացել է Համլետ Գրիգորյանը" (in Armenian). banak.info. 20 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
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