(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Vugar Khalilov
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov and US
Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl have discussed the
latest flare-up on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as
bilateral military cooperation, Azernews reports, citing the
ministry.
In a telephone conversation on September 15 at the initiative of
the opposite side, the officials exchanged views on issues of
bilateral military cooperation, as well as the confrontation on the
Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, and the current situation in the
region, the Ministry said.
In the same vein, the US has hailed the truce between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, Azernews reports, citing US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken.
'We welcome the cessation of hostilities between Azerbaijan and
Armenia and will continue to work with the parties to seek to
cement it. The United States remains committed to promoting a
peaceful and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region'
Blinken tweeted.
Furthermore, Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief
of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army Col-Gen Karim Valiyev
had a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Army
General Yashar Guler on September 15, the ministry said in a
separate report.
Valiyev briefed his colleague about the military clash that
happened as a result of the Armenian armed forces' large-scale
provocation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, as well as
the decisive retaliatory measures by the Azerbaijan army units.
Guler, for his part, expressed condolences for Azerbaijani
servicemen who become martyrs during the suppression of the
Armenian military forces' provocation and wished the injured a
speedy recovery. He reiterated that, as usual, Turkiye stands by
Azerbaijan.
Similarly, Valiyev had a phone call with Russian Defense
Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu on September 15 at the
initiative of the opposite side.
The parties addressed the region's military-political situation,
provocations committed by Armenian armed forces, and other issues,
the ministry said.
To recap, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out
large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state
border in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions during the
night of September 13. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined
land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army
units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep
topography and existing ravine gaps.
The clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent
efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these
activities. As a result, 71 armed forces personnel were killed, the
ministry detailed.
The Azerbaijan military units stationed in these areas took
decisive retaliatory measures to suppress the provocations of the
Armenian armed forces and military threats to Azerbaijan's
territory and sovereignty, as well as to ensure the safety of
military personnel, including civilian workers involved in
infrastructure construction in Kalbajar and Lachin districts, the
ministry emphasized.
As of September 16, the Armenian government reported 135 losses
among military personnel.
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