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ARMENIA SAYS AZERBAIJAN SHOT DOWN MILITARY HELICOPTER
Reuters
Nov 12 2014
Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:53am EST
* Armenia threatens to retaliate over incident
* Azerbaijan say helicopter intended to attack its soldiers
* Nagorno-Karabakh still flashpoint 20 years after ceasefire (Adds
new info about casualties, Azeri officer being awarded)
By Nailia Bagirova and Hasmik Lazarian
BAKU/YEREVAN, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Armenia's Defence Ministry accused
Azerbaijan's armed forces on Wednesday of shooting down a military
helicopter belonging to Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan
which is controlled by ethnic Armenians.
The downing of the helicopter, the first such incident since a
ceasefire was agreed in 1994 after a war over the tiny mountainous
territory in the South Caucasus, ratcheted up tensions between Armenia
and oil-producing Azerbaijan.
Three crew were on board the helicopter, which was on a training
flight, Defence Ministry officials in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia
said.
Azerbaijan confirmed it had shot down a helicopter but said it was
an Armenian aircraft which had intended to attack Azeri soldiers near
the mined and heavily guarded line of contact around Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The enemy's aviation, after a series of manoeuvres, attempted
to attack Azeri positions," the Azeri Defence Ministry said in
a statement.
Officials in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh said crew members were
believed to have been killed in the incident, although they added
that the information was not confirmed.
The Azeri defence ministry said an army officer had been honoured
for shooting down the aircraft. The officer "has been awarded a third
degree medal 'For Distinguished Military Service' for shooting down
the enemy's Mi-24 helicopter, and for vigilance and heroism on combat
duty," the ministry said.
The attack drew threats of retaliation from Armenia.
"Consequences for this unprecedented aggravation of the situation
will be very painful for the Azeri side," Armenian Defence Minister
Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on his Facebook page.
The violence highlights the risk of tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh
triggering a wider conflict in the South Caucasus, where oil and
natural gas flow from the Caspian region to Europe.
About 30,000 people were killed in 1991 in fighting between ethnic
Azeris and Armenians which erupted as the Soviet Union collapsed.
Despite the 20-year ceasefire, mainly Muslim Azerbaijan and
predominantly Christian Armenia regularly trade accusations of inciting
violence around Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Azeri-Armenian border,
where clashes also occur.
Nagorno-Karabakh runs its own affairs with heavy military and financial
backing from Armenia. Armenian-backed forces also run seven Azeri
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh seized during the war.
Efforts to reach a permanent settlement of the conflict have failed
despite mediation attempts led by France, Russia and the United
States. (Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Dominic Evans)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/azerbaijan-armenia-helicopter-idUSL6N0T24RP20141112
From: A. Papazian
Reuters
Nov 12 2014
Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:53am EST
* Armenia threatens to retaliate over incident
* Azerbaijan say helicopter intended to attack its soldiers
* Nagorno-Karabakh still flashpoint 20 years after ceasefire (Adds
new info about casualties, Azeri officer being awarded)
By Nailia Bagirova and Hasmik Lazarian
BAKU/YEREVAN, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Armenia's Defence Ministry accused
Azerbaijan's armed forces on Wednesday of shooting down a military
helicopter belonging to Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan
which is controlled by ethnic Armenians.
The downing of the helicopter, the first such incident since a
ceasefire was agreed in 1994 after a war over the tiny mountainous
territory in the South Caucasus, ratcheted up tensions between Armenia
and oil-producing Azerbaijan.
Three crew were on board the helicopter, which was on a training
flight, Defence Ministry officials in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia
said.
Azerbaijan confirmed it had shot down a helicopter but said it was
an Armenian aircraft which had intended to attack Azeri soldiers near
the mined and heavily guarded line of contact around Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The enemy's aviation, after a series of manoeuvres, attempted
to attack Azeri positions," the Azeri Defence Ministry said in
a statement.
Officials in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh said crew members were
believed to have been killed in the incident, although they added
that the information was not confirmed.
The Azeri defence ministry said an army officer had been honoured
for shooting down the aircraft. The officer "has been awarded a third
degree medal 'For Distinguished Military Service' for shooting down
the enemy's Mi-24 helicopter, and for vigilance and heroism on combat
duty," the ministry said.
The attack drew threats of retaliation from Armenia.
"Consequences for this unprecedented aggravation of the situation
will be very painful for the Azeri side," Armenian Defence Minister
Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on his Facebook page.
The violence highlights the risk of tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh
triggering a wider conflict in the South Caucasus, where oil and
natural gas flow from the Caspian region to Europe.
About 30,000 people were killed in 1991 in fighting between ethnic
Azeris and Armenians which erupted as the Soviet Union collapsed.
Despite the 20-year ceasefire, mainly Muslim Azerbaijan and
predominantly Christian Armenia regularly trade accusations of inciting
violence around Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Azeri-Armenian border,
where clashes also occur.
Nagorno-Karabakh runs its own affairs with heavy military and financial
backing from Armenia. Armenian-backed forces also run seven Azeri
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh seized during the war.
Efforts to reach a permanent settlement of the conflict have failed
despite mediation attempts led by France, Russia and the United
States. (Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Dominic Evans)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/azerbaijan-armenia-helicopter-idUSL6N0T24RP20141112
From: A. Papazian