As Pashinyan Visits Turkey for Peace Talks, Azerbaijan Shells Armenian Village, Damages Home

While Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shook hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a so-called “historic” visit to Istanbul aimed at building peace in the region, Azerbaijan was busy shelling a village in Armenia’s Syunik Province.

On the same morning of Pashinyan’s high-profile trip—meant to symbolize a new chapter in regional cooperation—Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire on the peaceful Armenian village of Nerkin Hand, according to Armenia’s Ministry of Defense.

Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Friday, Azerbaijani forces targeted the civilian village, damaging at least one home. Thankfully, there were no reported casualties, but the message from Baku was loud and clear: while Armenia speaks of peace, Azerbaijan continues to act with aggression.

The Armenian Ministry of Defense released a public statement condemning the act and demanding accountability.

“We urge the Azerbaijani side to conduct an investigation into the shelling of the residential house in Nerkin Hand and to provide public explanations regarding the incident,” the ministry stated.

This latest act of violence comes at a time when the Armenian government is heavily focused on the so-called “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, which Pashinyan promoted during his visit to Turkey. The goal, according to his administration, is to open Armenia to regional trade and diplomacy through normalized relations—especially with neighbors who have long been hostile.

But as Armenian officials pose for photos abroad, the security situation at home remains fragile. Border villages like Nerkin Hand are left vulnerable to Azerbaijani aggression, with little more than calls for investigations and international statements to protect them.

The irony of the timing has not gone unnoticed by the Armenian public and diaspora. While peace talks are underway with one historic adversary, another continues to provoke violence—undermining any trust in the supposed progress being made.

Armenians in Syunik, one of the country’s most strategic and sensitive provinces, live in constant fear of attacks like this. For many, Friday’s incident is another painful reminder that words like “peace” and “normalization” mean little if they are not backed by action and security guarantees.

This is not the first time Azerbaijani forces have fired on Armenian territory during key diplomatic moments. It has become a pattern: while Armenia reaches out for dialogue, Azerbaijan responds with bullets.

If true peace is ever to be achieved, the safety and dignity of Armenia’s border communities must come first—not last. And until then, many Armenians will continue to ask a difficult question: what kind of peace are we building, if our people are still under fire?

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