An Azerbaijani serviceman has been wounded in what Armenia and Azerbaijan said was an exchange of gunfire at one of the sections of the heavily militarized border between the two South Caucasus countries on Wednesday afternoon.
The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia said the cross-border gunfire followed an incident with an Armenian shepherd inadvertently crossing into Azerbaijani-controlled territory while looking for his lost flock near the Armenian village of Nerkin Khndzoresk in the southern Syunik Province.
“The events developed in such a way that a shootout occurred. As a result of the incident the Azerbaijani side suffered one wounded,” it said.
The NSS said that its border troops were ready for a joint investigation with Azerbaijani counterparts.
“Regardless of the joint investigation, the border troops of the Republic of Armenia are conducting their own investigation, and the results will be reported additionally. The question of how and why the shepherd and his flock crossed the border is also being clarified. We also note that the Azerbaijani side has returned the lost flock. The shepherd is also on the territory of Armenia,” the NSS said, stressing that “such incidents are undesirable for the Armenian side.”
According to the Azerbaijani version of the events, the personnel of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan registered a violation of the state border by two Armenians who drove about 200 heads of sheep 300 meters inside Azerbaijani territory.
“The border guards on duty, while trying to prevent the violation of the state border, came under fire from a combat post of the Armenian armed forces from the opposite side, as a result of which senior lieutenant Rovshan Mamedov was injured,” it said.
According to the report, the serviceman was immediately taken to a medical facility.
“Currently, the border situation is stable and is under the control of our units. Responsibility for this latest provocation by the Armenian side lies entirely with the military-political leadership of Armenia,” Azerbaijan’s State Border Service said.
The latest incident comes after several days of heightened tensions along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border that both sides blame on each other.
Azerbaijan’s wounded soldier is the first casualty reported by either side in a series of border shooting incidents that have occurred since late last week.
Source: Azatutyun
