AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY CONFIRMS DEATHS OF ARMENIAN SOLDIERS ON CONTACT LINE

Trend News Agency
Jan 27 2009
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry confirmed the death of three
Armenian soldiers on the line of contact. Several Armenian soldiers
were wounded.

The Armenian armed forces began to move toward the Javahirli village
in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan to capture the positions of the
Azerbaijani army and strengthen their positions on Jan. 26 at 07.00,
Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu told Trend News.

The battle lasted for one hour. The enemy retreated with three losses
and several wounded, Sabiroglu said.

The body of one Armenian soldier is presently near the line of
contact. The Armenian military took the rest of the bodies and
wounded. No casualties were reported on the Azerbaijani side.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.