Azerbaijani soldier killed near disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory

Azerbaijani soldier killed near disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory

AP Online
Jun 28, 2004

An Azerbaijani soldier stationed near the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
territory was killed by gunfire that appeared to come from
Armenian-held positions, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said Monday.

Private Elnur Aliyev died from a gunshot wound to his chest Sunday
evening in Agdam, which borders Nagorno-Karabakh, defense officials
said. The soldier, who was born in 1985, was buried Monday.

Azerbaijan and forces backed by Armenia fought a 1988-94 war over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely ethnic Armenian enclave inside
Azerbaijan. More than 30,000 people were killed and a million driven
from their homes during the conflict.

The Armenian-backed forces won control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seized
some surrounding Azerbaijani lands. Despite a cease-fire, the two
countries continue to face off across a heavily fortified no man’s
land, and shooting occasionally erupts.

At least four soldiers have been killed since the beginning of this
year, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said. Three civilians have also
died.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani authorities also reported that a 60-year-old
farmer was seriously wounded when his harvester struck a land mine on
Saturday. Eleven Azerbaijan citizens have been killed by land mines
this year, and nine injured, authorities said Monday.