MOSCOW, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Four Armenian soldiers were killed after Azerbaijan launched a "retaliation operation" near the border in response to earlier provocations, authorities from both sides said Tuesday.
Azerbaijan's border service said in a statement that it had conducted a "retaliation operation," destroying the Armenian combat post near the village of Nerkin Hand in response to earlier actions of the Armenian Armed Forces.
The border service said that it would retaliate with "more serious and decisive measures" upon any future provocations.
The Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a Telegram statement that Azerbaijan's gunfire resulted in four killed in action and one wounded on the Armenian side.
On Monday, the State News Agency of Azerbaijan AZERTAC, citing the country's border service, reported that an Azerbaijani border guard was wounded as a result of shelling from Armenia. Subsequently, Baku and Yerevan accused each other of shelling on the border. ■