Agence France Presse
February 6, 2015 Friday 3:56 PM GMT
Three killed in new Azerbaijan-Armenia clashes
Yerevan, Feb 6 2015
Three people were killed in renewed clashes between Azerbaijani and
Armenian forces over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region, officials
from both countries said Friday.
The victims included an Armenian civilian killed in his courtyard by
Azerbaijani shelling on villages along the Karabakh border, Armenian
defence ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovannisian told AFP.
In a separate incident along the Karabakh frontline, a 25-year-old
soldier was killed by Azerbaijani fire, the separatist enclave's
defence ministry said in a statement.
The third victim was an Azerbaijani soldier killed on Thursday in a
shootout with Armenian forces, the defence ministry in Baku said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a decades-long conflict over
Nagorny Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan.
Despite years of negotiations, the two sides have not signed a final
peace deal, with Karabakh internationally recognised as part of
Azerbaijan.
Clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces intensified in January
following an unprecedented spiral of violence last year.
Six Armenian soldiers were reported killed last month in similar
incidents on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and along the Karabakh
frontline.
Ethnic Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of
Karabakh during a 1990s war that left some 30,000 dead.
Baku, whose military spending exceeds Armenia's entire state budget,
has threatened to take back the region by force if negotiations fail
to yield results.
Armenia, which is heavily armed by Russia, says it could crush any offensive.
February 6, 2015 Friday 3:56 PM GMT
Three killed in new Azerbaijan-Armenia clashes
Yerevan, Feb 6 2015
Three people were killed in renewed clashes between Azerbaijani and
Armenian forces over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region, officials
from both countries said Friday.
The victims included an Armenian civilian killed in his courtyard by
Azerbaijani shelling on villages along the Karabakh border, Armenian
defence ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovannisian told AFP.
In a separate incident along the Karabakh frontline, a 25-year-old
soldier was killed by Azerbaijani fire, the separatist enclave's
defence ministry said in a statement.
The third victim was an Azerbaijani soldier killed on Thursday in a
shootout with Armenian forces, the defence ministry in Baku said.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a decades-long conflict over
Nagorny Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan.
Despite years of negotiations, the two sides have not signed a final
peace deal, with Karabakh internationally recognised as part of
Azerbaijan.
Clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces intensified in January
following an unprecedented spiral of violence last year.
Six Armenian soldiers were reported killed last month in similar
incidents on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and along the Karabakh
frontline.
Ethnic Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of
Karabakh during a 1990s war that left some 30,000 dead.
Baku, whose military spending exceeds Armenia's entire state budget,
has threatened to take back the region by force if negotiations fail
to yield results.
Armenia, which is heavily armed by Russia, says it could crush any offensive.