Another Azeri army officer killed by Armenian fire

Lt Sabuhi Azizov was killed by Armenian sniper fire today at 1230 local time, the Ministry of Defense said on its website.

Azizov was decorated posthumously for his bravery, the ministry said.

It was the second Azeri death since tensions escalated along the ceasefire line a week ago.

Captain Elnur Cafarov was killed in Tartar District on January 23.

Armenians captured nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts, in a war after the Soviet Union’s breakup in 1991.

More than 20,000 people were killed and nearly 1 million Azerbaijanis displaced before Russia brokered a ceasefire in 1994.

The sides have yet to sign a peace agreement despite more than 20 years of talks mediated by the US, Russia and France.

ANN.Az