Azerbaijani Gunfire Hits Civilian Home in Armenia’s Syunik Province During Easter Weekend

During the peaceful Easter weekend, a village in southern Armenia experienced violence when Azerbaijani forces reportedly opened fire toward civilian homes. The European Union Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA), which keeps watch along Armenia’s vulnerable border regions, confirmed that two shots struck a home in the village of Khoznavar in Syunik Province, damaging civilian infrastructure.

While no injuries were reported, the bullets hit a solar water heater on the roof of a residential home, sending shockwaves through a local population already living under constant threat.

The European Union civilian monitoring mission said on its Facebook page that it carried out 27 patrols over the Easter weekend, both day and night, across villages including Khoznavar, Khnatsakh, and Aravus. While patrolling Khoznavar, the mission confirmed the impact of two gunshots that had damaged civilian infrastructure, and noted that the shots “possibly originated from an Azerbaijani position in the area.”

This is not the first time EUMA has observed violations or threats near the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, but each incident increases fears that another escalation could be just around the corner.

Armenia’s Ministry of Defense officially reported that on April 20, at around 2:30 a.m., Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire toward the village of Khoznavar. The solar water heater that was hit was part of a private home. While residents were unharmed, the attack clearly targeted a civilian area and caused material damage.

The Ministry strongly condemned the act and called on Azerbaijan to conduct a full investigation and to publicly explain the reasoning behind the attack.

"The Armenian side continues to urge the need for transparency and accountability. This is not a battlefield—it’s someone’s home,” the Ministry’s statement implied.

Armenia has long been asking for the creation of a joint investigative mechanism between the two countries to examine ceasefire violations and prevent false reports.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office has previously proposed such a solution, hoping to build mutual trust and ensure that civilians are not the ones paying the price of political tension.

However, Azerbaijan has not responded to this initiative. The silence leaves Armenian officials and the public increasingly frustrated, especially as violations continue.

In a troubling scene on the same day, Armenian reporters attempted to ask Prime Minister Pashinyan about the shooting in Syunik as he exited the National Assembly building in Yerevan. From a distance, they pleaded for just one answer about the incident in Khoznavar. Pashinyan did not respond and left in his vehicle.

The Prime Minister’s silence—whether intentional or due to other concerns—left many citizens wondering why there hasn’t been a stronger public response or action plan to protect border villages like Khoznavar.

This incident is not isolated. It’s part of a larger pattern of border tension, where Armenian civilians in regions like Syunik, Gegharkunik, and Tavush live under the constant threat of cross-border fire. Every time a shot is fired, even without casualties, it sends a clear message: peace is still fragile.

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