At Least 3 Killed in Clash of Armenian, Azerbaijani Troops

[Böri]

YEREVAN, ARMENIA —
Officials say that at least three soldiers have been killed in a border skirmish between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Ovanissian three Armenian servicemen died in fighting Thursday. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said one of its troops was missing in action.

Armenia and Azerbaijan blamed each other for the fighting.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry claimed that its forces inflicted "heavy casualties" on the Armenian intruders, while Armenia's Defense Ministry said that it repelled an intrusion from Azerbaijan, killing seven enemy soldiers. The conflicting claims couldn't be independently verified.

The two ex-Soviet nations have been locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh is officially part of Azerbaijan, but since a separatist war ended in 1994 it has been under the control of forces that claim to be local ethnic Armenians but that Azerbaijan claims include regular Armenian military. Efforts to negotiate a settlement have failed and sporadic clashes have continued.

An outbreak of fighting in April killed about 75 soldiers from the two sides.http://www.voanews.com/a/armenian-and-azerbaijani-troops-clash/3655546.html

Armenians if you want peace with Türks return Türkic peoples lands.

[Arsen_]

It is reported that seven Azeri soldiers killed in that clash. Here is photo of one of killed Azeri soldier. His corpse was left by other fleeing Azeri soldiers.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C03H1aAXcAAXMNz.jpg

https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15697171_10212015443449458_4309503294750119192_n.j pg?oh=61f971978b1f1ef0b89460c74652c4ec&oe=58E99528

[Armenian Bishop]

Armenia's Investigative Committee has determined that the Azerbaijani Sabotage Infiltration of Armenia'a Field Positions, is a criminally liable Act of Aggression. This is different from the thousands of ceasefire violations perpetrated by Azerbaijan, against Armenia's Karabakh Stronghold, because it's a direct attack and infiltration. Armenia, as a UN Nation, has more clout to pursue legal retribution.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/873816/armenia’s-investigative-committee-labels-azerbaijani-sabotage-“act-of-aggression”-probe-underway.html

Quoted from the ArmenPress Article:

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Investigative operations are underway within the framework of the criminal case of the Investigative Committee of Armenia on the aggressive war unleashed by Azerbaijani Armed Forces, in order to determine all circumstances on the infiltration of Azerbaijani forces into the territory of Armenia, and engaging military operations and attacking the military position, the Investigative Committee told ARMENPRESS.

Upon investigating the scene, a body -- dressed in the uniform of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces -- was discovered in the territory of the Armenian position.

On December 29th, Azerbaijani armed forces violated the international rights and norms for the peaceful existence of Peoples and States, infiltrated Armenian territory, engaged in military operations by unleashing an aggressive war and attacked Armenian positions southeast of the Chinar Village,Tavush province, with the purpose of capturing an Armenian position, by violating the territorial integrity of Armenia, and committing an act of aggression.

Coupled by motives of ethnic and religious hatred, Azerbaijani forces killed Lieutenant Shavarsh Milikiyan, Private Erik Abovyan and Edgar Naroyan -- all servicemen of the above mentioned position, after which they encountered the resistance of backup units and were forced to retreat.

A criminal case has been initiated in the 6th Garrison Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee. An Investigation is underway.

[Armenian Bishop]

http://armenianweekly.com/2016/12/29/csto-condemns/#comment-815594

Quoted from the Armenian Weekly:

MOSCOW, Russia (A.W.)— The secretary-general of the Russian led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha condemned the Dec. 29 Azberbaijani attacks at the Armenian border that led to the death of three soldiers and labeled them as “provocative.”

“We regard these actions in the territory of a CSTO member state as provocative, especially against the backdrop of the quite serious fighting in the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (Artsakh/NKR), involving heavy weaponry, in April this year,” said Bordyuzha, shortly after the Dec. 29 attack.

Armenia has criticized states in the CSTO in the past for not blaming Azerbaijan for ceasefire violations, reported RFE/RL’s Armenian service.

“Given the efforts made by both sides as well as the leaders of several states [after the April escalation,] it looked as though the process of the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem will move forward more actively,” Bordyuzha also said. “However, reports coming from the region lately about regular ceasefire violations and especially yet another incident on December 29… are a cause for serious concern,” he added.

Republican Party (RPA) spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov welcomed Bordyuzha’s comments and praised him for referring to Karabagh (Artsakh/NKR) as a “republic.” Sharmazanov added that by pointing out that an attack had taken place near the Chinari village at the Armenian state border, he has confirmed that Azerbaijan initiated an infiltration.

[Armenian Bishop]

http://armenianweekly.com/2016/12/29/three-armenian-servicemen-killed/

Quoted from the Armenian Weekly:

YEREVAN (A.W.)—At least three Armenian servicemen were killed and several others were injured in an unprovoked Azerbaijani attack on the northeastern section of the border between the Armenia and Azerbaijan on Dec. 29.

Senior Lieutenant Shavarsh Melikyan and Privates Edgar Narayan and Erik Abovyan were killed in the attack, according to the Armenian Defense Ministry.

The Armenian Defense Ministry described the incident, which took place near the border village of Chinari, as an infiltration attempt by Azerbaijani Armed Forces, during which the Azerbaijani side used weapons of various caliber, including sniper rifles and grenade launchers.

According to Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovannisyan, Azerbaijani forces suffered up to seven losses as the Armenian troops “neutralized” the Azerbaijani attacks.

Azerbaijan’s Dec. 29 attack on Armenia comes almost eight months after it launched a full-blown attack on multiple positions of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Line of Contact (LoC) overnight on April 1-2.

In April, the Azerbaijani Army employed tanks, military helicopters, drones, and various caliber weapons in an assault that targeted the LoC on the southern, southeastern, and northeastern fronts. At least 91 Armenian servicemen and 9 civilians were killed by Azerbaijani troops in April.