Azerbaijan says “dozens” of Armenians killed in recent clashes

Two Azerbaijani servicemen and “dozens” of Armenian troops have been killed in clashes along the ceasefire line in recent days, according to Vaqif Dargahli, a spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense.

Dargahli said that, unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan does not hide its losses from public. 

Tensions escalated on January 19 when Armenia said one of its soldiers was shot dead during an Azerbaijani “sabotage attack”. Another Armenian serviceman and two Azerbaijani army officers were confirmed killed in exchanges of fire the following days.

In an interview with APA, Dargahli denied Armenian media reports that Azerbaijan has amassed tanks and military hardware in areas close to the ceasefire line. 

Armenians captured nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts, in a war after the Soviet Union’s breakup in 1991.

About 12,000 Azerbaijani nationals were killed and 1 million displaced before Russia brokered a ceasefire in 1994.

The sides have yet to sign a peace agreement despite more than 20 years of talks mediated by the US, Russia and France.

ANN.Az