Two Armenian soldiers were killed in clashes with Azerbaijani troops on January 23, officials said as tensions escalated over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said Azerbaijani armed forces "attempted to attack” Armenia’s defensive positions’ at the Karabakh frontline, killing serviceman Nahapet Asatrian.
In a separate incident across the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, 35-year-old Armenian army soldier Arman Udumian "died of mortal wounds” following skirmishes, the ministry said.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry rejected the claim in a statement on its website, saying the Armenian servicemen were killed while attacking Azerbaijani positions.
The ministry said Azerbaijan suffered no losses.
Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh backed by Yerevan seized control of the territory, along with seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts, during a 1990s war that left some 30,000 dead.
Despite years of negotiations, the two sides have not yet signed a final peace deal, and Karabakh remains internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan.
Baku, whose military spending exceeds Armenia’s entire state budget, has repeatedly said it will take back the region by force if negotiations fail to yield results.
ANN.Az
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