Three Armenian Soldiers Killed in Ongoing Clashes with Azerbaijani Troops

By Staff, Agencies

The Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement that three Armenian servicemen had been killed and two were wounded following clashes with Azerbaijan on 28 July. Armenia blamed the casualties on "the attack" by the Azerbaijan's armed forces.

Armenia's MoD said on Twitter that Azerbaijan had violated the ceasefire in the north-eastern part of the border between the two countries on Wednesday morning.

"Localized battles are taking place. Azerbaijan’s military-political leadership bears the entire responsibility of the escalation," the ministry said.

Several hours earlier, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense announced that two of its soldiers had been wounded as a result of small arms fire in the Kalbajar region.

"On 28 July, starting from about 00:50, the Armenian armed forces units from the combat positions located in various directions in the territory of the Basarkechar region, using small arms and grenade launchers, have once again subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the territory of the Kalbajar region," the Azerbaijani ministry said in a statement.

"We reaffirm that Armenia bears full responsibility for the escalation of tensions along the state border between the two countries," they added.

The ministry said that tensions in the Kalbajar region remain ongoing. Azerbaijan said that reports about alleged damages to civilian facilities in Armenia were "false."

Baku also called on Armenia to start talks on "delimitation" for the purpose of formalizing the boundaries between the two states.

"We call on the military-political leadership of Armenia to refrain from provocations and the deliberate aggravation of the situation on the state border of the two countries and to start negotiations on the delimitation of the state border in a civil manner."

Azerbaijan later said in a statement that they had agreed to the initiative from Russia to declare a ceasefire at the border at 06:00 GMT, but accused Armenia at that time of not putting a halt to small arms fire. Armenia later confirmed the agreement had been reached.