RIA Novosti, Russia
May 29 2006
Armenia, Azerbaijan report fatalities in disputed border clash
13:37 | 29/ 05/ 2006
YEREVAN/BAKU, May 29 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia and Azerbaijan both
claimed fatalities after a shootout between soldiers in the region of
Nagorny-Karabakh, and accused each other of breaching a ceasefire
agreement Monday.
“An Armenian military serviceman was killed as a result of a shot
from the Azerbaijani side at Armenian positions in the Noyemberyansky
region at around 8.30 p.m. [Moscow time, 4.30 p.m. GMT] May 27,”
defense ministry spokesman Seiran Shakhsuvaryan said.
But an Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman denied the claim, and
said an Azerbaijani soldier was killed.
“An Azerbaijani soldier was killed as a result of shelling by
Armenian units stationed on mount Lele-Ilahi in Azerbaijan’s Fizuli
region,” Ilgar Verdiev said.
The conflict between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and
Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region with a
largely Armenian population, first erupted in 1988, when the region
claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
Over 30,000 people were reported dead on both sides between 1988 and
1994, and over 100 others died after a ceasefire was concluded in
1994, leaving Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenian hands, but tensions
between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.