Three Armenian troops died in border clashes with Azerbaijani forces on Wednesday morning, official sources confirmed.
“As a result of armed action launched following an attack by Azerbaijani forces, there are three dead and two wounded from the Armenian side as of 08:30 (0430 GMT),” the Armenian defence ministry in Yerevan said.
Armenian foreign ministry blamed Azerbaijan for the deadly escalation.
“The Azerbaijani side is deliberately escalating the situation as its forces remain illegally on Armenia’s sovereign territory,” Armenia’s foreign ministry said.
However, the Azerbaijani authorities blamed the other side for initiating the clashes.
Azerbaiشjan’s defence ministry said Armenian forces had first opened fire towards Azerbaijani positions in Kelbajar in the early hours of Wednesday and that two of its servicemen had been wounded.
“Armenia bears full responsibility for the escalation of tensions,” it said.
Tensions between the two countries over the region have been simmering since the war in the 1990s. Last year’s escalation of violence was the deadliest in two decades.
Since then, more than 5,000 people have lost their lives, and tens of thousands were displaced.
The peace deal brokered by Moscow saw Armenia forced to cede significant territory to Azerbaijan.
Both countries have repeatedly accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement since it came into force on November 10.
