Increase in tension was registered at the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed forces from July 2 to 8, Karabakh Defense Army said in a statement.

Overall, Azerbaijani side violated ceasefire over 300 times using 60, 82 and 120 mm mortars as well as D44 guns along the line of contact.

On July 4 Azerbaijani armed forces used 122 mm howitzer D30 and TR-107 reactive rocket propelled howitzers in the southern direction for the first time since four-day war in April.

By deploying howitzers in the vicinity of the village of Alkhanlu, Azerbaijani armed forces intended as usual to hide behind the civilian population as a human shield, thereby grossly violating the norms of international law.

Taking advantage of its right for full-fledged defense, the advanced units of the NKR Defense Army were forced to resort to retaliatory actions to suppress the enemy's firing points located near settlements.

The Defense Army monitors the situation along the entire line of contact and carries out the combat mission confidently.