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Details of Armenian military base shooting in the occupied Khojavand region of Azerbaijan reported

30 July 2010 09:53 (UTC +04:00)

Head of the Helsinki Association Vanadzor Office Arthur Sakunts said this was private Karo Ayvazian, APA reports. The human rights defender said resident of Yerevan Ayvazyan lived in the United States for a time, but he was convicted for a crime and deported. â€œAyvazyan had health problems and while being drafted into the army his health problems were not taken into consideration or were sealedâ€, said Sakunts.

Sakunts said two officers found Ayvazyan slept at watch, woke and offended him. The soldier shot them and other three soldiers dead and then committed suicide.

Armenian newspapers spread controversial reports about the incident. They reported five or six people were killed during the shooting on July 28. One of the killed soldiers was 20-year old resident of Yerevan Andranik Sarksyan. There are two versions of the incident. Fist version coincides with the human rights defender Arthur Sakuntsâ€™ reports. The second one was reported by the Sarksyanâ€™s father. He said the incident took place in the trench shelter of the military base. Disputes between the military servicemen turned into the clashes. One of the soldiers took an automatic gun and shot his fellow servicemen and then committed suicide. Sarksyan said his son was severely beaten. â€œHis face turned blue and swelled. There were three bullet wounds on his breastâ€, said Sarksyan.

Armenian newspapers said Ayvazyan was serving in the army under the contract.

The incident took place in one of the Armenian military base in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenian forces.

Defense Ministry of Armenia reported about the deadly incident in the military base, but causes of the shooting and number of casualties were not reported.