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9 June 2012

Azerbaijanis Kill Armenian Soldier in Karabakh: Reports

Azerbaijani forces killed an Armenian soldier in clashes in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region today amid an upsurge of violence between the ex-Soviet enemies, Nagorno-Karabakh officials said.

"An Azerbaijani reconnaissance-sabotage group attempted to penetrate the combat positions of the Nagorno-Karabakh defense army," an official said in a statement.

"Karabakh's vanguard units noticed the enemy's offensive actions in time and took military action, throwing the enemy back," the statement said.

Junior Sergeant Vardan Ohanian was killed and two more Armenian soldiers were wounded during the firefight, it said.

Eight soldiers had already been killed this week in armed clashes on the ex-Soviet states' mutual border -- five Azerbaijanis and three Armenians.

The worst violence for months erupted in the week that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited both countries and called on them to refrain from using force.