Baku, Azerbaijan, March 26
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
Azerbaijani serviceman, lance sergeant Elshad Abbaszade was killed as a result of armed clashes on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on March 25, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has expressed deep condolences to the relatives and friends of the killed serviceman.
Abbaszade has been posthumously awarded with the third degree medal "For Distinction in Military Service" in accordance with the order issued by Azerbaijan's defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov.
The losses of the Armenian side are yet to be determined.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Edited by SI
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov