Armenia reports 4 soldiers killed in border clash with Azerbaijan

Border clash between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Syunik region leaves 4 dead, escalating tensions

Four Armenian soldiers lost their lives in the southeastern Syunik region, according to a report from Armenia’s Defense Ministry. The ministry has attributed their deaths to Azerbaijani forces, marking a concerning escalation in tensions between the neighboring nations.

“Units of the Azerbaijani armed forces discharged fire from small arms toward the Armenian combat positions in the vicinity of the village of Nerkin Hand,” the ministry said in a statement.

The incident occurred in proximity to Armenian combat positions and has heightened tensions in the region. Khachatur Baghdasarian, the head of the Nerkin Hand district, communicated the prevailing tense atmosphere in the area to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

This development came after a recent report from Azerbaijan’s State Border Service about an Azerbaijani soldier being wounded by Armenian fire in the same border region.

Azerbaijan’s State Border Service has retaliated, citing provocations by Armenian forces the previous day. They claimed to have conducted a “retaliation operation,” resulting in the complete destruction of an Armenian military post near Nerkin Hand in the Qafan region.

The tensions seem to have increased once again, following a period of relative calm along the border, with no shootings reported by either side in the past four months.

As the situation remains fluid, international observers continue to closely monitor developments along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, emphasizing the need for continued diplomatic efforts to resolve the longstanding conflict.

Source: Newsroom