Armenian sniper fire kills Azerbaijani soldier

BAKU, Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani soldier was killed by cross-border sniper fire, the country’s Defense Ministry said late Saturday.

In the village of Asagi Ayrim in Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar province, Vusal Orucov was killed by sniper fire from across the border coming from the village of Zerkend in the Armenian province of Basargecer (Vardenis­), said a ministry statement late Saturday.

The sniper opened fire towards the positions of the Azerbaijani army, the ministry said.

The Azerbaijani army retaliated and condolences were expressed to the family and relatives of the slain soldier, the statement added.