Armenia: 15 soldiers killed in fire at military barracks

According to the Ministry of Defense, the fire that broke out at a military barracks was in the sniper company of the military unit and an engineer, where the deaths occurred. It was also stated that three personnel were critically injured. The incident happened in Azat, a village located in the eastern region near the border with Azerbaijan at around 1:30 a.m.

   Defense Minister Soren Papikian stated that the fire was caused by a violation of safety rules by the Ministry, which involved the use of a prohibited substance, specifically petrol. As a result, the army commander and several senior officers have been suspended, and an investigation is ongoing to determine the extent of the security rule violation by the Ministry. It is worth mentioning that in August 2022, a fire caused by an explosion in a market in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people. The Ministry of Defense in Armenia reported that one of its officers was also seriously injured in a fire in Azerbaijan, but the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan denied any involvement. Both sides have recently accused each other of violating a ceasefire brokered by Russia to end fighting in 2020.