Azerbaijan says soldier killed by sniper on Armenia border

BAKU - Azerbaijan's defence ministry said on Saturday its forces were taking "retaliatory measures" after one of its soldiers was killed by an Armenian army sniper on the border between the two countries.

Armenia quickly denied the accusation, saying the claim its forces had opened fire on Azerbaijani positions "does not correspond to reality".

The alleged incident came amid high tension between the neighbouring countries after Azerbaijan last week recaptured the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan's defence ministry said the shooting had taken place along its heavily militarised border with Armenia in the Kelbajar region west of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Exchanges of fire along the border between the two Caucasus foes are common.

But so far the two sides have prevented the recent flare-up over Nagorno-Karabakh from spilling over into a broader confrontation. - AFP