Azerbaijan Claims Armenian Fire; Yerevan Denies Allegations Amid Peace Talks

MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) – Azerbaijan‘s defense ministry accused Armenian forces of opening fire on Azerbaijani positions from the southern Syunik province on Sunday, a claim that Yerevan swiftly denied as untrue.

The alleged incident reportedly occurred in the morning, with Azerbaijani officials stating that small arms fire came from the Goris area in Armenia. No further specifics were provided in the ministry’s statement.

In response, Armenia’s defense ministry firmly rejected the claims, stating that Azerbaijan’s assertions were false. Reuters was unable to verify the situation in the conflict zone at the time of reporting.

This latest exchange of accusations comes just days after Baku and Yerevan announced an agreement to formulate a peace treaty aimed at resolving nearly four decades of hostilities in the region, marking a significant turn in what has been a laborious and often contentious peace process.

The agreement reportedly seeks to address long-standing territorial disputes and stabilize relations between the two South Caucasus nations, amidst ongoing concerns from international observers.

Amid the tensions, both sides remain at a critical juncture, as previous ceasefires have often collapsed, leading to renewed clashes and significant civilian suffering.

As the situation develops, international mediators are expected to monitor the borders closely to avert escalations and keep the peace dialogue moving forward.