Azerbaijani Border Guard officer injured in shelling by Armenia

An Azerbaijani State Border Guard Service officer has been reportedly injured as a result of shelling by Armenia. This claim was me by  press service of State Border Guard Service, which was cited in a TASS report. "On March 20 at 02:50 (01:50 Moscow time), in section of Azerbaijani-Armenian state border passing through territory of Zangilan District, Armenian armed forces’ units from positions in direction of Nerkin Hand settlement of Kafan District, shelled positions of Azerbaijani State Border Guard Service stationed at Agbashyurd height. As a result, Border Guard Service serviceman junior sergeant Ramin Manafov was wounded," report re. 

serviceman who was injured, has undergone operation. His life is now apparently out of danger. A press release by Azerbaijani Border Guard Service has said that situation is currently under control. However, Armenia is denying Azerbaijan's claim. A statement from  Armenian Defense Ministry res that " State Border Service of Azerbaijan spre a disinformation claiming that units of Armenian Armed Forces opened fire towards Azerbaijani combat positions located in Souastern part of Armenian-Azerbaijani border zone on March 20, at around 2:50 a.m.". 

A look at conflict between Armenia and Azerbijan

conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has several different strands. One of most important strand is conflict surrounding  Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. It was established in 1923 by USSR. It was 95% Armenian ethnically, but for some reason, USSR decided to make it a part of Azerbijan. As USSR started declining, "Nagorno-Karabakh’s regional legislature passed a resolution in 1988 declaring its intention to join Republic of Armenia, despite its official location within Azerbaijan," according to a report from Council of Foreign Relations, a think tank based in US' capital, Washington DC. 

As Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan and Armenia attained full statehood. Soon enough, war broke out between two over region. By 1993, Armenia gained control of most of region. More than 30,000 people lost ir life in war. In 1994, Russia brokered a ceasefire, which is known as  Bishkek Protocol. Under  Bishkek Protocol, Nagorno-Karabakh became quasi independent. However, it remained dependent on Armenia. ceasefire brokered by Russia remained in place till 2020. Since September of 2020, conflict has been casting its show on region. This latest development is merely a part of old conflict, resolution of which seems rar unlikely.