Azerbaijan Fires at Armenian Village of Khoznavar, Damages Home — Then Denies It

In the early hours of Thursday morning, between 1:00 and 1:15 a.m., Azerbaijani soldiers fired on the Armenian village of Khoznavar, located in Armenia’s southern Syunik Province. According to Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, the gunfire damaged a civilian home. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But once again, a peaceful border village was shaken by fear and violence.

Armenia’s government quickly called for answers. Officials asked Azerbaijan to investigate the attack and to publicly explain why their forces opened fire on a residential area.

Instead of taking responsibility, Azerbaijan rushed to deny the shooting ever happened. Its Ministry of Defense claimed that Armenia was “spreading deliberate disinformation” and “creating grounds for further provocations.” Azerbaijan’s statement even referred to the village by the wrong name — calling it “Khaznavar” instead of Khoznavar.

But the facts on the ground are clear: a home in Armenia was damaged by bullets. Armenian officials have photographic evidence and witness reports confirming the shelling.

Defense Minister Suren Papikyan spoke to journalists and confirmed that Armenia had officially asked for clarification from Azerbaijan. “We wanted a clarification from Azerbaijan,” Papikyan said. “They denied that they did it.”

This is not the first time that Azerbaijan has attacked Armenian villages and then denied any wrongdoing. In recent years, similar incidents have taken place along the border. Civilians, including women and children, live under constant threat, especially in Armenia’s southern regions like Syunik and Gegharkunik.

Many in Armenia and the diaspora believe that these attacks are not accidents. They are part of a larger pattern of intimidation meant to force Armenians from their land — especially in areas that Azerbaijan has repeatedly claimed, even though they lie inside Armenia’s internationally recognized borders.

Despite the clear evidence of attacks like the one in Khoznavar, international organizations and major world powers have often remained silent or neutral. This silence encourages further violence.

Armenia has asked the international community many times to send monitoring missions, apply diplomatic pressure, and prevent future attacks. But so far, these calls have not been fully answered.

In the case of Khoznavar, the shelling could have easily taken lives. It was only luck — not restraint — that no civilians were injured. The home that was damaged could have had sleeping children inside. And the next attack may not be so fortunate.

Khoznavar is a small Armenian village, but its story speaks to a larger truth. Border communities in Armenia are strong and proud. They raise families, grow crops, and care for their land — even as Azerbaijani gunfire is heard through the night.

What happened in Khoznavar is not just a military incident. It is a human story. It’s about the right to live safely in your own home — a right that was violated again on Thursday morning.

As long as such attacks continue and as long as denials are used to erase the truth, peace in the South Caucasus will remain out of reach.

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