Armenian Troops Kill Azerbaijani Soldier

Armenian forces on Wednesday killed an Azerbaijani soldier at the volatile border between the two foes locked in a protracted conflict over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region, officials in Baku said.

"Junior Sergeant Kerem Nokhbalayev has been killed on February 26 (Wednesday) as a result of ceasefire violation by Armenia," Azerbaijan's defense ministry said in a statement.

The last two months have seen an increase in violence along the Azerbaijani-Armenian frontline, with both sides accusing each other of tit-for-tat raids and at least five soldiers killed.

Last year around 20 soldiers from both sides were reportedly killed in border shootouts.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Nagorny Karabakh from Azerbaijan in a 1990s war that killed 30,000 people. Despite years of negotiations since a 1994 ceasefire, the two sides have yet to sign a peace deal.

Azerbaijan has threatened to take back the disputed region by force if negotiations do not yield results, while Armenia has vowed to retaliate against any military action.