npm version patch: clean working directory not clean - npm

Question

I hae a problem running npm version patch on Azure Pipelines. Initially, I discovered that SonarCloud scanner drops unwanted files in the repository. I git-ignored the directory
Consider the following fragment
- script: git checkout -f $(Build.SourceBranchName)
displayName: Force checkout of current branch
- script: git status
displayName: Git status
- script: git reset --hard
displayName: Git reset
- task: Npm#1
displayName: Tag repository and set release version
inputs:
command: custom
customCommand: version patch
- script: git push origin $(Build.SourceBranchName) --tags
displayName: Git push with tags
Required in order to push a subsequent commit
Displays a summary of the repository
Unhappy with git-status ok, I force cleaning the repo
Makes a commit and a tag out of the repository
Pushes branch and tag
git-status output
Starting: Git status
==============================================================================
Task : Command line
Description : Run a command line script using Bash on Linux and macOS and cmd.exe on Windows
Version : 2.201.1
Author : Microsoft Corporation
Help : https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/utility/command-line
==============================================================================
Generating script.
Script contents:
git status
========================== Starting Command Output ===========================
/usr/bin/bash --noprofile --norc /home/vsts/work/_temp/447a869a-56d7-4a29-a4c0-9a49b5ffce74.sh
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.
nothing to commit, working tree clean
Finishing: Git status
git-reset output
Starting: Git reset
==============================================================================
Task : Command line
Description : Run a command line script using Bash on Linux and macOS and cmd.exe on Windows
Version : 2.201.1
Author : Microsoft Corporation
Help : https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/utility/command-line
==============================================================================
Generating script.
Script contents:
git reset --hard
========================== Starting Command Output ===========================
/usr/bin/bash --noprofile --norc /home/vsts/work/_temp/85fedcd4-9756-4d38-aa3d-d41c03032565.sh
HEAD is now at ad6aebf Pipelines
Finishing: Git reset
npm-version output
Starting: Tag repository and set release version
==============================================================================
Task : npm
Description : Install and publish npm packages, or run an npm command. Supports npmjs.com and authenticated registries like Azure Artifacts.
Version : 1.202.0
Author : Microsoft Corporation
Help : https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/package/npm
==============================================================================
/opt/hostedtoolcache/node/16.15.0/x64/bin/npm --version
8.5.5
/opt/hostedtoolcache/node/16.15.0/x64/bin/npm config list
; "project" config from /home/vsts/work/1/s/.npmrc
message = ":[npm-autoversion]: %s"
; "env" config from environment
cache = "/home/vsts/work/1/.npm"
userconfig = "/home/vsts/work/1/npm/7212.npmrc"
; node bin location = /opt/hostedtoolcache/node/16.15.0/x64/bin/node
; cwd = /home/vsts/work/1/s
; HOME = /home/vsts
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.
/opt/hostedtoolcache/node/16.15.0/x64/bin/npm version patch
npm ERR! Git working directory not clean.
npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
npm ERR! /home/vsts/work/1/.npm/_logs/2022-05-19T13_01_16_005Z-debug-0.log
##[warning]Couldn't find a debug log in the cache or working directory
##[error]Error: Npm failed with return code: 1
Finishing: Tag repository and set release version
Question: how is it possible that npm fails to make a version bump if I am triple-sure that the repository is clean?