Armenia, Azerbaijan Say Troops Killed in Border Shootout

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The Facts

  • The defense ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan issued statements on Tuesday reporting that troops from both sides had been killed in a clash near the Lachin Corridor, with both sides blaming the other for initiating hostilities.

  • Azerbaijan reported that three of its troops were killed, while Armenia reported four of its soldiers were killed and another six wounded. The clash occurred along the Lachin Corridor — a critical road into the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.


The Spin

Narrative A

Azerbaijan continues to escalate the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh with provocative actions, as it wants to test the waters for a spring offensive against Armenia. Ethnic Armenians are facing continued oppression in Nagorno-Karabakh while the international community remains silent. Azerbaijan cannot continue making its aggressive threats.

Narrative B

Armenia's leadership thinks it can escalate tensions while also playing the victim in the Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. EU observers in the region have given Armenia the green light to provoke Azerbaijan by saying that Baku is planning a new offensive, for which there is simply no evidence. It seems, yet again, that it is Yerevan that wants more violence.


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