Armenian military 'sabotage group' stopped from entering Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is assessing the incident as an Armenian "provocation" and vowed to take "more serious measures" should this happen again.

An Azeri soldier inspects the city of Cebrayil, where Azeri forces regained control during the fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, October 16, 2020. (photo credit: REUTERS/UMIT BEKTAS)
An Azeri soldier inspects the city of Cebrayil, where Azeri forces regained control during the fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, October 16, 2020.
(photo credit: REUTERS/UMIT BEKTAS)

Azerbaijani forces stopped a group of Armenian military personnel from attempting to enter the country, Azerbaijan's State Border Service claimed Sunday.

The attempted entry of what the State Border Service is describing as a "sabotage group" was forced to retreat Saturday evening, the State Border Service alleged.

Azerbaijan is assessing the incident as an Armenian "provocation" and vowed to take "more serious measures" should this happen again.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have had longstanding enmity going back decades, which most recently manifested in the 2020 war over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Authorities of Russia, who are in charge of keeping the peace between the two Caucus countries, were notified about the incident.

 RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING troops patrol near the border with Armenia, following a deal to end the military conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, in 2020. (credit: REUTERS/FRANCESCO BREMBATI)
RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING troops patrol near the border with Armenia, following a deal to end the military conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, in 2020. (credit: REUTERS/FRANCESCO BREMBATI)

This is not the first recent flaring of tensions between the two countries, with Russia's Defense Ministry and Armenia both accusing Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire on two occasions.

This is a developing story.