RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Czech Republic
April 20 2006
Ethnic-Armenian Forces End Military Exercises in Karabakh
The Nagorno-Karabakh army in training, 2005
(Photolur)
April 20, 2006 — Ethnic-Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh
concluded a week of military exercises today in the disputed enclave.
About 1,500 soldiers took part in the exercises, which took place
mainly around the central Agdam region. The area is near the
so-called line of control that separates ethnic-Armenian and
Azerbaijani forces.
The drills were observed by the defense minister and chief of general
staff from Armenia.
Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan but is populated mostly by
ethnic Armenians. Clashes regularly break out between the two sides.
At least 30,000 people have been killed and 1 million made refugees
during six years of open conflict that
ended with a ceasefire in 1994.