Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan embarked on his working visit to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Monday, the Armenian Defense Ministry's press service said in a statement on Monday.
YEREVAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th August, 2018) Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan embarked on his working visit to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on Monday, the Armenian Defense Ministry's press service said in a statement on Monday.
"As part of the working visit the Armenian defense minister together with Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh's endonym] Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan visited one of the military units deployed in the north east of the contact line," the press service's statement said.
According to the ministry, the two counterparts have also visited positions on the contact line, acquainted themselves with the strategic situation in the region and awarded distinctions to servicemen.
The conflict in Armenian-dominated Nagorno-Karabakh started in 1988 with the autonomous region announcing its secession from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1991, the Armenia-backed region proclaimed independence from Azerbaijan and the creation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. This move triggered a military conflict, which led to Baku losing control over the region.
In 1994, the warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities. However, the violence escalated again in 2016, leading to multiple casualties on both sides despite the ceasefire.
