1 Azerbaijani soldier killed, another injured in ‘provocative fire’ by Armenian forces

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - One Azerbaijani military personnel was killed and another was injured in two separate incidents of "provocative fire" by Armenian forces in the Basarkechar region, according to official statements released on Monday.

"As a result of deliberate provocation committed by Armenian armed forces units, Azerbaijan Army's long-term active military serviceman Novruzalizade Orkhan Elkhan became Shehid (martyr)," said a statement issued by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on Thursday.

Divisions of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces are taking "decisive retaliatory measures," the statement said, adding that the operational situation in the region is under its control.

Earlier, the ministry said an Azerbaijani serviceman was injured late Wednesday as a result of intense fire from Armenian positions in the area of Zod in the Basarkechar region.

“The wounded serviceman was immediately taken to a military medical facility. The Armenian side has violated the cease-fire once again despite warnings to end its provocations and not to deliberately escalate the situation,” said the statement.

It added that Azerbaijani units took “necessary retaliatory measures in the provocation area.”

It later declared in a statement that Armenia was deploying additional manpower and combat equipment near Zod.

“By this, the opposing side is attempting to create a basis for the next provocation. We once again state that the Armenian military-political leadership bears the entire responsibility for the tension in the region,” the statement said.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Baku during a war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement and also opened the door to normalization.

Tensions between the neighboring countries increased in recent months over the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia access to Karabakh.​​​​​​​