Türkiye reaffirms support for Azerbaijan after new Armenia clashes
A view shows a multiple rocket launcher of the occupying Armenian military forces near Lachin in the region of Karabakh, Nov. 13, 2020. (Reuters Photo)


Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu reaffirmed support in a phone call with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov Wednesday after Armenia killed three Azerbaijani soldiers.

Çavuşoğlu extended condolences to his counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov after Armenian forces killed three Azerbaijani soldiers in the Lachin district of the East Zangezur region on Tuesday.

Çavuşoğlu also reiterated Türkiye's and the Turkish nation's full support for Azerbaijan, according to diplomatic sources.

"On April 11, Armenian armed forces units, based in the Digh settlement of the Gorus region, launched an intense small arms assault at the Azerbaijan Army's positions stationed in the Lachin region," a statement by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry read.

"The Azerbaijan Army Units engaged in adequate retaliatory measures," it added.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military illegally occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, with the Armenian Army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating several humanitarian ceasefire agreements. During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and around 300 settlements and villages that Armenia had occupied for almost 30 years.

The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, which was seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia. However, the cease-fire has been violated several times since then.