Three soldiers were reported to have been killed on Wednesday in a contested region between Azerbaijan and Armenia as renewed clashes flare up, threatening to break the fragile truce between the two countries following a brief but bloody 2020 war.
In response to the fighting, the Armenian president of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, signed a decree that authorized a partial mobilization. Azerbaijani forces seized several strategic heights surrounding the sensitive Lachin corridor in the aftermath, which links Armenia with the separatist region, according to Radio France Internationale.
“In the Republic of Artsakh, measures are being taken to stabilize the situation with the command of the [Russian] military personnel. As of 18:00, operational conditions are relatively stable: [Artsakh] Ministry of Defense will make announcements regarding further developments,” the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement.
FAILURE IN ARMENIAN CONFLICT SHOULD CAUSE AMERICAN SOUL-SEARCHING
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire and causing the escalation. A nearly 2,000-strong Russian peacekeeping force has been stationed in the area as a key stipulation of the 2020 treaty, according to the BBC.
On Wednesday morning, an Azerbaijani soldier was killed in an exchange of gunfire in unclear circumstances. “Soldier Kazimov Anar Rustam became martyr as a result of a bullet wound” from “illegal Armenian armed detachments,” the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told News.az. In retaliation, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry carried out drone strikes against Armenian positions as part of “Operation Revenge,” as well as limited military incursions, according to Trend.az. Azerbaijani engineers were sent in to fortify the newly taken positions in the aftermath.
State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan revealed that two Armenian soldiers were killed in the strikes, in addition to 19 wounded, four of them severely.
The corrected final number of the injured persons as a result of the #Azerbaijani attacks is 19. 4 of them are in heavy situation.
So, 2 deaths & 19 injuries in #Artsakh/#NagornoKarabakh just for defending our own security, homeland & rights against #Azerbaijan illegal ambitions.— Artak Beglaryan (@Artak_Beglaryan) August 3, 2022
The European Union released a statement condemning the hostilities and called on both sides to de-escalate and respect the ceasefire.
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Tensions have been high since the conclusion of the 45-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in November 2020. Armed with the latest Turkish and Israeli drones, Azerbaijani forces decisively defeated Armenia in a modern blitzkrieg, seizing much of the Armenian-populated region.
Though the ensuing peace treaty is seen as largely favorable to Azerbaijan, both Russia and Armenia have consistently accused Baku of violating the treaty and making greater inroads into the province, according to AFP.
