Deadly Shooting Reported Near Nagorno-Karabakh

A Karabakh Armenian soldier practices sniper fire during a military exercise. (file photo)

BAKU -- Azerbaijan says one of its army officers has been shot dead near the border of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Defense Ministry officials told RFE/RL on April 9 that Lieutenant Sahriyar Mammadov was killed by Armenian forces based in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The officials said Armenian troops "violated the cease-fire agreement" late on April 8 near the Aqdam district, which is a buffer zone.

There was no immediate response from the Armenian side.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mostly ethnic-Armenian-populated region inside Azerbaijani territory.

Armenia, which controls Nagorno-Karabakh and several surrounding districts, has been locked in conflict with Azerbaijan for more than two decades over the enclave.

After going to war, a truce was signed in 1994, but there is still sporadic violence.

Years of internationally mediated talks have failed to resolve the conflict.