Armenia and, Azerbaijan trade accusations over border skirmish that leaves 4 soldiers dead

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia and Azerbaijan have traded accusations over a border skirmish that left at least four Armenian soldiers dead and escalated tensions between the two Caucasus neighbors. Armenia’s Foreign Ministry denounced what it described as a “provocation” by Azerbaijani troops who fired on Armenian forces across the border early Tuesday. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and one was wounded, the ministry said. Azerbaijan’s State Border Service said it had fired on an Armenian post in retaliation for Armenian shelling of Azerbaijani positions the previous day. Armenia and Azerbaijan have a long history of disputes. Azerbaijan waged a military campaign last year to reclaim the Karabakh region, which Armenian separatists had ruled for three decades.