GAVAR, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Sotk Gold Mine operated by the Russian Geopromining Gold in Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province has ceased operations after Azerbaijan began the large scale offensive against Artsakh and is bombing civilian settlements in Armenia.

A representative of the company, Ruzanna Grigoryan, told ARMENPRESS the mine stopped all operations since Sunday morning when the attacks began. And on September 29, the town where the company is operating came under shelling. 

“The administration of the company stopped the operations for safety precautions. As long as there is a threat of bombardment of the mine’s territory, the operations won’t restart,” she said.

In the early morning of September 27, the Azerbaijani military launched a massive attack on Artsakh (Karabakh) using air force, missiles and tanks.  The Azerbaijani artillery strikes targeted civilian settlements, including Stepanakert city, which resulted in several civilians being killed. Schools were also bombed. A mother and her child were killed in Martuni, Artsakh. Many other civilians were wounded.

The Azeri shelling of civilian settlements resulted in another child being killed on September 29. 

4 civilians are dead in Artsakh. 

The Azerbaijani attacks continue.

According to official reports Azerbaijan lost more than 400 servicemen, 6 gunships, 50 UAVs, 85 tanks and armored vehicles, 1 warplane and 82 other military vehicles since the fighting began in Artsakh.

Artsakh’s military said the Defense Army of Artsakh lost 84 servicemen, with more than 120 being wounded.

On September 29, the Azeri troops began shelling from across the state border at the Armenian town of Vardenis, killing one civilian.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan