Armenia and Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations of Gunfire in Border Area

The Russian news agency "TASS" reported that "Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of responsibility for a exchange of gunfire in a border area on Thursday, in which at least three soldiers were injured." The Armenian Ministry of Defense stated that "Azerbaijani forces shelled its troops' positions in the Gegharkunik border area with artillery and mortar fire, resulting in the injury of two soldiers." Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense indicated that "its positions were fired upon earlier, leading to the injury of one soldier." The two countries are engaged in talks regarding a peace agreement to end the decades-long confrontation over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is recognized as part of Azerbaijan but is predominantly inhabited by Armenians, and has led to repeated outbreaks of fighting.