Azerbaijan uses heavy flamethrower systems in Nagorno-Karabakh

BAKU, April 4. /TASS/. The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan used on Monday heavy flamethrower systems (HFS) in the area of the Karabakh conflict, head of the press center of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Vagif Dargyakhly said.

The situation at the line of engagement in the conflict area remains tense, he said.

"Fighting continues in two directions - Khodzhevend-Fizula and Agdere-Terter," the defense ministry’s representative said. The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan "for the defense purposes, in response to the Armenian intensive fire on positions of Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces and on villages along the line of engagement, used heavy flamethrower systems TOS-1."

Armenia’s Defense Ministry  earlier accused the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan of using heavy flamethrower systems (HFS) against the Karabakh forces.

"Today, at about 11:20," the Azerbaijani side "at the north-eastern direction of the line of engagement used HFS." The ministry added use of the weapon did not cause any casualties.

Azerbaijan also used three attack drones, which the forces located in Nagorno-Karabakh downed, the Armenian Defense Ministry said.

On Saturday, April 2, the parties to the Karabakh conflict accused each other of violating truce along the front line. The claims came from defense authorities of Armenia and of Azerbaijan.

Neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan fell out with each other in the late 1980s because of Nagorno-Karabakh, the disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up but was mainly populated by Armenians.

In 1991-1994, the confrontation spilled over into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and some adjacent territories. Thousands left their homes on both sides in a conflict that killed 30,000. A truce was called between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh republic on one side and Azerbaijan on the other in May 1994.