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Armenia: Fresh Hostilities In Nagorno-Karabakh Could Lead To Full-Scale War

Armenia has threatened Azerbaijan with “full scale war” amid fresh casualties in renewed hostilities over Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict could escalate as Azerbaijan threatens to expand its operations along the front line after the death of some of its soldiers fighting separatist forces, while Armenia threatens with full scale war and the recognition of the territory as an independent state. Update: Karabakh’s Defense Ministry has been ordered to cease fire and a truce has been agreed according to its press service. RFERL reports: Azerbaijan’s disclosure of three deaths brings to 15 the number of its soldiers reported killed amid renewed fighting in the South Caucasus mountain enclave, while 18 combat deaths have been reported by the Armenian-backed separatists. The destruction of heavy military equipment has been claimed by both sides. Armenian Defense Ministry said on April 4 that five people had been killed in an Azerbaijani drone attack on a bus carrying Armenian volunteers to Nagorno-Karabakh. There was no immediate comment from the Azerbaijani side. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan amid a 1988-94 war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives [...]