Armenian forces kill Azerbaijani soldier in border area
AN AZERBAIJANI soldier was killed by Armenian forces in the western Kalbajar border region, authorities said on Tuesday.
Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani military positions, according to a statement by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.
“As a result of relevant measures taken by the Azerbaijan Army Units, the opposing side was suppressed,” read the statement.
“The Armenian military-political leadership bears full responsibility for the occurred tension,” it added.
The ministry also said yesterday that Armenian fire toward Azerbaijan on the border continued throughout the night.
It added that Armenia engaged in a “deliberate military provocation and military adventure” without a reason and in violation of the obligations of the trilateral agreement of Moscow, Baku and Yerevan.
Saying that the necessary response was given to the Armenian side, it added that no further casualties from the Azerbaijani side took place during the night while the military continued its watch in case of further escalation.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov yesterday held a phone call with Karen Donfried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and discussed regional security issues, including the steps taken by Azerbaijan to implement trilateral statements. Bayramov informed Donfried of the latest provocation by Armenia on the state border.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a decadeslong dispute over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
Moscow brokered a peace deal last November to end six weeks of fighting over the territory, during which more than 6,600 people were killed.
As Yerevan and Baku try to enhance relations through a regional platform, renewed border clashes might cease these aspirations.
Turkey and Azerbaijan proposed the Caucasus platform following last year’s Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Turkey believes that permanent peace is possible through mutual security-based cooperation between the states and people of the South Caucasus region.
Russia last month hosted the inaugural meeting of the regional platform. However, Tbilisi refuses to attend, citing Russian aggression towards the ex-Soviet nation.