Azerbaijani Soldier Severely Wounded Along Border With Separatist Region

May 17, 2012

Azerbaijani military officials are blaming Armenian soldiers for a shooting incident near the border with the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is run by an ethnic Armenian administration.

Azerbaijani military officials said Private Nurali Aliyev, 19, was hospitalized in a grave condition after being shot in the head.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry accused Armenian servicemen of responsibility, saying they had violated the terms of a cease-fire in the Karabakh area.

The separatist Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry rejected the report, saying "forces deployed along the frontline strictly abide by the cease-fire regime."

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict for around three decades over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

A fragile cease-fire has been in place since 1994 after ethnic Armenians seized control of most of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Years of internationally-backed negotiations have failed to result in a permanent settlement.

Based on reporting by Interfax and trend.az

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijani-soldier-severely-wounded-in-nagorno-karabakh/24584258.html

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