AZERI TV REPORTS MORE FIRES ON ARMENIAN BORDER

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
15 Aug 06

[Presenter] The Armenians who recently started fires in Qazax
[northwest Azerbaijan] have now started fires in several villages in
Tovuz. The fires were extinguished owing to the efforts of the local
population last night. But the danger has not subsided yet.

[Correspondent reporting by telephone] A fire started in Armenia’s
Shamshaddin [Idzhevan] District at about 2000 [1500 gmt] yesterday
evening. The fire soon spread to the neutral territory. After that,
the fire spread to the pastures of the village of Alibayli in Tovuz
District. According to villagers, the fire continued all night. Seven
anti-tank and four anti-personnel mines planted in the neutral zone
exploded during the fire. Valeh Rzayev, a representative of the
Alibayli village executive authorities, said that about 100 ha of
land had burnt.

Along with the pastures belonging to villagers, municipal land plots
have also burnt. The fire has inflicted great damage on villagers. The
representative of the executive authorities said that the fire had
been extinguished by villagers themselves – they did not call fire
engines as the opposite side could open fire at any moment. The fire
has already been put out.