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August 2, 2014
Escalation of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan produces a serious threat to peace and stability in South Caucasus, Ariel Cohen, PhD, Principal, International Market Analysis Ltd, an energy and natural resources political risk company told Trend.
He added that yet, unfortunately, the media is not reporting the story, just as it its coverage of the massive bloodshed in Syria and Iraq due to ISIS violence, has drastically declined.
“Increased hostilities on the Azerbaijan-Armenian border can be connected to the world public opinion being focused on the violence in Gaza and Ukraine,” Cohen said.
“Furthermore, the violence is occurring while the US Ambassador Richard Morningstar is retiring and is being replaced by Robert Cekuta,” he added.” I am sure the US Embassy is provided ample reporting back to Washington on this untenable and dangerous escalation.”
“Finally, Armenia is feeling emboldened, as Russian support is strong and unquestioned in the aftermath of Yerevan’s to sign the European Union Association Agreement and the country’s accession to the Customs Union,” Cohen stressed.
Around eight servicemen of Azerbaijani armed forces have been killed during the fighting over the last three days.
Armenia’s reconnaissance and sabotage group attacked the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Aghdam and Agdere regions on the night of August 1-2.
As a result, four servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces were killed: ensign Parvin Aliyev, junior ensigns Rahil Huseynov and Elchin Ahmadov and re-enlisted soldier Sarkhan Guliyev.
The Azerbaijani side succeeded to repel the enemy’s attack, forcing it to retreat, suffering losses.
Ariel Cohen, PhD, is Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Principal, International Market Analysis Ltd, a political risk advisory, and Director, Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Geopolitics at the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security