UPDATE - Armenian prime minister speaks with leaders of Russia, France on clashes

REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; ADDS PHONE CALL WITH FRENCH PRESIDENT

By Ali Cura

YEREVAN, Armenia (AA) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held separate phone calls early Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron on the latest clashes on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, according to the Armenian government.

During his call, Macron stressed that the escalation of tensions is unacceptable and the situation needs to be calmed.

Armenian media also reported that Pashinyan convened a meeting of the Armenian Security Council to address the matter.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that the Armenian army carried out extensive provocations in the evening hours on the border in the direction of Dashkesan, Kalbajar and Lachin.

The ministry said sabotage groups of the Armenian army laid mines on land and roads between the positions of the Azerbaijani army in various directions, adding as a result of measures taken by the Azerbaijani military to address the situation, intense clashes broke out between troops of the two countries.

It added that there were casualties among military personnel from both sides.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia, and the fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan