The Armenian Defense Ministry announced the capture of six Armenian soldiers on the border with Azerbaijan.
“On the morning of May 27, the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan surrounded and captured six servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia, who were carrying out engineering work in the protected territory of the military unit of the Armenian Armed Forces at the border section of the Gegharkunik region”, – reads a statement at the disposal of RIA Novosti.
The department noted that they are taking measures to return them.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated that “a reconnaissance and sabotage group of the armed forces of Armenia attempted to cross the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border in the direction of the settlement of Yukhary Ayrim of the Kelbajar region” and they were detained.
In Baku, the incident was called a provocative terrorist act that violates trilateral agreements. Yerevan replied that Azerbaijan’s actions are aimed at exacerbating the situation, “which could seriously undermine the regional peace”.
Gegharkunik region is already the second after Syunik region, where, despite the peace agreement, instability persists.
On May 12, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported that the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to carry out work “to clarify the borders” in one of the border areas of the Syunik region, details were not provided. Yerevan turned to the CSTO for consultations, urging to take measures to eliminate the “threat to the security and territorial integrity” of the country. The incident was also discussed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Armenian counterpart Ara Ayvazyan.
Syunik region is a territory bordering with Azerbaijan in the south of Armenia. After the recent escalation, a number of Azerbaijani troops remain there. Yerevan stated that they are not ready to discuss demarcation and delimitation until their withdrawal.
Security in some sections of the road in the Syunik region is provided by Russian border guards. They control traffic on the Goris – David Bek and Goris – Kapan highways, which pass through problem areas.