Azerbaijan says it intercepted Armenian 4-rotor copter over military positions in Karabakh

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan on Monday said that it intercepted an Armenian four-rotor helicopter over its military positions in the Karabakh region.

“On Aug. 7, around 1:30 p.m. (0930GMT), a DJI Mavic 3 quadcopter belonging to the Armenian armed forces tried to fly over positions of the Azerbaijani Army located in … the Basarkechar district,” the country’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said the quadcopter was detected and brought down by Azerbaijani units in the area using “special technical means.”

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

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended with a Russia-brokered peace agreement.

Despite ongoing talks over a long-term peace agreement, tensions between the neighboring countries rose in recent months over the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia access to Karabakh.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​