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WORLD NEWS Monday 28 SepteMber 2020
Fighting erupts between Armenia, Azerbaijan; 18 killed

By AVET DEMOURIAN independent. Such a move
Associated Press would likely obstruct further
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — negotiations.
Fighting between Arme- Foreign Minister Javad Zarif
nian and Azerbaijani forces of Iran, which borders both
has erupted again over the Azerbaijan and Armenia,
disputed separatist region said "We call for an imme-
of Nagorno-Karabakh and diate end to hostilities and
the territory's defense minis- urge dialogue to resolve
try said 16 soldiers and two differences. Our neighbors
civilians have been killed are our priority and we are
and more than 100 others ready to provide good of-
wounded. fices to enable talks."
Azerbaijan's president, Turkish presidential spokes-
meanwhile, says his mili- man Ibrahim Kalin con-
tary has suffered losses, but demned Armenia.
gave no details. "Armenia has violated the
Armenia also claimed that cease-fire by attacking
four Azerbaijani helicopters civilian settlements ... the
were shot down and 33 international community
Azerbaijani tanks and fight- must immediately say stop
ing vehicles were hit by ar- to this dangerous provoca-
tillery. Azerbaijan's defense tion," Kalin tweeted. Turkey
ministry rejected an earlier In this photo provided by the Azerbaijan's Presidential Press Office provided on Sunday, Sept. 27, is a close ally of Azerbaijan
claim that two helicopters 2020, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gestures as he addresses the nation in Baku, Azerbaijan. and locked in a long dis-
Associated Press
were shot down. pute with Armenia that has
The heavy fighting broke Armenian Defense Ministry In a televised address to the situation," Foreign Min- closed the countries' bor-
out in the morning in the re- spokesman Artsrun Hov- the nation, Aliyev said that istry spokeswoman Maria der since the early 1990s.
gion that lies within Azerbai- hannisyan also said Azer- "there are losses among Zakharova said. United Nations Secretary-
jan but has been under the baijani shelling hit within the Azerbaijani forces and Albanian Prime Minister Edi General Antonio Guterres
control of ethnic Armenian Armenian territory near the the civilian population as Rama, chairman of the Or- "calls on the sides to imme-
forces backed by Armenia town of Vardenis. a result of the Armenian ganization for Security and diately stop fighting, de-es-
since 1994 at the end of a The territorial defense min- bombardment," but didn't Cooperation in Europe, calate tensions and return
separatist war. istry said late Sunday that give further details. He also called on the sides to stop to meaningful negotiations
It was not immediately 18 people were killed, in- claimed that "many units fighting. The long-unsuc- without delay," said his
clear what sparked the cluding a woman and her of the enemy's military cessful negotiations for re- spokesman Stephane Du-
fighting, the heaviest since grandson and more than equipment have been de- solving the territory's status jarric. U.S. Deputy Secretary
clashes in July killed 16 peo- 100 wounded. stroyed." has been conducted un- of State Stephen Biegun
ple from both sides. Azerbaijani President Ilham Russian Foreign Minister der OSCE auspices. called the foreign ministers
Nagorno-Karabakh author- Aliyev ordered martial law Sergey Lavrov "is conduct- Armenian Prime Minister of Armenia and Azerbaijan
ities reported that shelling be imposed in some re- ing intensive contacts in Nikol Pashinian on Sunday to urge cessation of hostili-
hit the region's capital of gions of the country and order to induce the par- said the country could re- ties, said State Department
Stepanakert and the towns called for a curfew in major ties to cease fire and start examine whether to recog- spokesperson Morgan Or-
of Martakert and Martuni. cities. negotiations to stabilize nize Nagorno-Karabakh as tagus. q

North Korea accuses South of intrusion to find dead official

By HYUNG-JIN KIM posed a joint investigation North Korea maintained
Associated Press to resolve discrepancies troops were unable to find
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — in each country's account the official's body and
North Korea accused South of the South Korean offi- burned the object he was
Korea of sending ships cial's death last week. Of- floating on in line with anti-
across the disputed sea ficials in Seoul have said coronavirus rules. Sunday's
boundary to find the body the 47-year-old was likely KCNA report confirmed
of a South Korean official attempting to defect be- North Korea notified South
recently killed by North Ko- fore North Korean troops Korea on Friday with its ac-
rean troops, warning Sun- aboard a boat fatally shot count of the incident, but it
day the intrusion could es- him and burned his body. didn't say whether the noti-
calate tensions. South Ko- According to Seoul, North fication included an apolo-
rea denied the accusation. Korea on Friday sent a mes- gy from Kim. South Korea's South Korean marine boat patrols near Yeonpyeong island,
"We urge the South side sage including a rare apol- military and coast guard South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.
to immediately halt the in- ogy by leader Kim Jong Un responded to North Korea's Associated Press
trusion across the military for the shooting death of claim of a border incursion
demarcation line in the the official, who was found by saying their ships and air- military hotline between is currently struggling to
West Sea that may lead floating on an object in its craft have been searching the nations to facilitate overcome worsening eco-
to escalation of tensions," waters. waters south of the bound- communications.Kim's nomic woes caused by
the official Korean Cen- The North Korean message ary since Friday in case the apology was seen as an at- U.S.-led sanctions over his
tral News Agency said. "It distributed by South Korea official's body drifts back. tempt to soothe anti-North nuclear program and the
arouses our due vigilance said its troops shot the of- Senior presidential official sentiment in South Korea pandemic that forced his
as it may lead to another ficial because he attempt- Suh Choo-suk said South that could make it difficult country to close its border
awful incident." Along with ed to flee after refusing to Korea also wants North Ko- for him to win concessions with China, its biggest trad-
its denial, South Korea pro- answer to questions. It said rea to restore a suspended in any negotiations. Kim ing partner.q