Azerbaijan violates cease-fire as forces skirmish near Mardakert

Two Armenians wounded

Eight Azerbaijanis reported dead

by Tatul Hakobyan

Published: Saturday March 08, 2008

Yerevan - A serious breach of the cease-fire in place since May 1994 took place early in the morning of March 4 on the border of Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR) and Azerbaijan, northeast of Mardakert, a few kilo­meters from Levonarkh village. The skirmish lasted approximately 13 hours. There were dead and wounded.

U.S. envoy Matt Bryza and the OSCE's Andrzej Kasprzyk arrived in Baku on March 4 and succeeded in facilitating a return to the cease-fire. The NKR government invited Mr. Kasrpzyk and his aides to visit the area of the incident; the visit was expected on March 7.

The Armenian side reported two wounded as a result of the skirmish - one service member received a light wound to his hand; another, Maj. Khachik Tavadian, was reportedly hurt by a mine and has more serious leg wounds, but there is no threat to his life.

While the Azerbaijani government claimed to have "destroyed numerous Armenians," it offered no evidence of that; the Armenian military denied the claims, and in turn put the Azerbaijani death toll at eight and possibly more, including four that died close to Armenian positions. Azerbaijan published the names of five dead, including two officers.

Armenia's Public Television showed footage of the site of the incident, including what appeared to be the body of one of the Azerbaijani service members killed, as well as captured equipment. It also showed the Azerbaijani military personnel bearing a white flag approaching the Armenian positions to retrieve the bodies.

The statement by the Armenian Defense Ministry said: "Azerbaijani forces seized one of the front posts of the NKR Defense Army. NKR forces replied to the fire, forcing the enemy to return to their previous positions."

The NKR Defense Ministry presented the incident in more detail: "On the night of March 3-4, Azerbaijani special forces crossed the northeast sector of the Line of Contact and seized one of the posts of the NKR Defense Army in the direction of Levonarkh village.

"The Armenian side initially attempted to negotiate about the return of the post, in accordance with the agreement of February 6, 1995, on resolving cease-fire violation. Failing to achieve that through talks, the NKR forces took counter-measures. According to unofficial reports, both sides resorted to the use of grenade launchers and mortars, in addition to machine guns.

"As a result of the operations of the NKR armed forces, after several hours of heavy fighting, the enemy took flight leaving eight dead and armaments on the battlefield," the NKR Defense Army statement said. "Two service members from the Karabakh side were wounded. The NKR Defense Ministry considers it necessary to state that through such actions the Azerbaijani party is attempting to destabilize not only the Line of Contact but also the entire region.

"The NKR Defense Ministry once again warns Azerbaijan that any action threatening NKR security will be strongly rebuffed in the future as well. The NKR Defense Ministry urges Azerbaijan to maintain the cease-fire and not jeopardize the peace and security in the region," the statement said.

While this was a significant escalation, similar incidents had occurred in the 14 years of cease-fire before. More typical cease-fire violations include sporadic shooting and sometimes intensified sniper fire. In 2006, for example, Azerbaijanis taking advantage of their elevated positions opposite Noyemberian, in northeastern Armenia, shot several Armenian service members. But actual combat operations are rare and use of mortars is rarer still.

The Armenian foreign minister said Azerbaijan tried to exploit Armenia's domestic situation. "Perhaps they thought we had focused all of our attention on our internal situation, and that this could provide them with a psychological advantage, but this hasn't proved to be the case," Vartan Oskanian said, condemning the cease-fire violation.

At a press conference on March 5, President Robert Kocharian of Armenia said, "It is quite possible that they thought we have lost our vigilance because of our difficult domestic situation. Perhaps they also presumed that we moved significant military forces from Karabakh to Yerevan," the Armenian president said, adding that that was not the case.

Earlier this week, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev while visiting the Khanlar region, which borders Nagorno-Karabakh, once again threatened Armenians. He recalled that Azerbaijan's defense spending is nearing $1.5 billion a year. "We are acquiring military technology, airplanes, and ammunition, getting ready to liberate the occupied territories."

Referring to the Kosovo case, Mr. Aliyev said: "You can see how international norms are being violated. And it has a negative impact on the resolution of the Nagorno-­Karabakh conflict. The power factor remains determinant; and we will achieve our goals in Karabakh."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Serge Sargsian of Armenia, in response to Azerbaijani threats, said on March 4: "It is not the first time that Azerbaijani leaders come up with statements about the acquisition of new armament or solving the issue with the use of armed force. But on the other side, the negotiations are going on, where they talk about the peaceful solutions of the conflict. I am full of hope that normal, civilized logic will win, and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue will find its peaceful solution. I rule out the possibility of solving the issue by the means of war."

On March 5, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finland's foreign minister Ilkka Kanerva expressed serious concern about the incident and the reported casualties.

"I call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, and observe the terms of the cease-fire," the minister said. "At this critical juncture in the negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, any action leading to a destabilization of the Line of Contact can only have a negative impact on the overall situation. I urge the parties to avoid actions that could lead to further unnecessary loss of life."

Since May 1994 the cease-fire agreement has in general been maintained. In recent years, deaths reported from enemy fire have fallen as both sides are now better dug in the trenches along the Line of Contact.

Previous major incidents on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

In March 2005 Azerbaijanis report more than 10 service members dead as they try to bring up their positions closer to Armenian defenses near the Aghdam district.

In June 2004 Azerbaijanis try to take control of a water pumping station near the Joghaz reservoir that supplies several villages on the border of Armenia's Tavush province and Azerbaijan's Kazakh district; there were dead on both sides, but Armenians retain control.

In June-July 2003, Azerbaijanis report about 10 service members dead as they try to bring their position into the no-man's land in the village of Karakhanbeili in the Fizuli district; mortars reportedly used.

In March 2000, an Azerbaijani special forces unit raids ­Nagorno-­Karabakh's Mardakert district, with Azerbaijani losses estimated at 15.

In June 1999, Azerbaijanis initiate intensive fighting near the village of Karmiravan in Mardakert district. Casualties on both sides.

Since May 1994 cease-fire and throughout the 1990s skirmishes were frequent as the sides, especially the Azerbaijanis, had not yet established fortified positions.