Azeri leaders threaten war, pin blame on Armenia

For over five hours, from 8:30 pm 15 March to 1:45 am 16 March, Armenian troops stationed one kilometre north and 2.5 kilometres southwest of the occupied village of Sarydzhaly in Azerbaijan's Agdam district, periodically subjected Azeri army units stationed opposite to sub-machine and machine gun fire. This is what the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan says in an official press release it has published today, according to Novosti news agency.

"The enemy's fire was neutralised by return fire, without casualties among Azeri soldiers," says the document.

"Azerbaijan will be entitled to start full-scale military action if Armenia continues provocations on the front line. We cannot bear the situation any more. Time has come to take concrete measures and Armenia will be fully responsible for the resumption of hostilities," claims the Defence Ministry.

The ministry also said Armenian snipers positioned in the occupied Agdam district had mortally wounded two Azeri soldiers on 14 March and noted Armenia had violated the ceasefire agreement reached in May 1994 "almost everyday" lately.

In his comment on the recent developments on the front line, Akif Nagi, chairman of the Karabakh Liberation Organisation, said, "Everything that has happened on the front line lately proves Azerbaijan can only liberate its occupied lands by force."

More about the conflict:

• Armenia, Azerbaijan exchange fire