Armenian Armed Forces Soldier Killed by Azerbaijani Fire ahead of Sarkisian-Aliyev Meeting

Private Chaplin Margaryan Was Born in 1998

YEREVAN (A.W.)—Armenian Armed Forces serviceman Private Chaplin Margaryan (b. 1998) was killed by Azerbaijani fire on the morning of Oct. 11. According to Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, the incident took place at a military unit located in the northeastern direction along the Azerbaijani border.

Armenian Armed Forces serviceman Private Chaplin Margaryan (b. 1998) was killed by Azerbaijani fire on the morning of Oct. 11

The ministry also expressed its grief and offered its support to Margaryan’s family, friends, and fellow soldiers, and announced that it has launched an investigation into the incident.

Private Margaryan’s death comes less than two weeks after Artsakh serviceman Seyran Sargsyan (b. 1998) was killed by Azerbaijani fire. According to a press statement by the Artsakh Ministry of Defense, Sargsyan was killed in the southeastern direction of the line of contact (LoC) between Artsakh and Azerbaijan on Sept. 28.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has described the killing of the Armenian soldier as an act of provocation ahead of a meeting between Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“Ahead of a meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, [Azeri President] Ilham Aliyev continues provocations,” ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan said in a tweet. Earlier, President Sarkisian’s spokesperson, Vladimir Hakobyan, told Yerevan reporters that it has long been known to everyone that the Azerbaijani authorities resort to provocations before high-level meetings “in an attempt to pollute the political environment.”

The Armenian president’s press service announced yesterday that Sarkisian would be traveling to Sochi, Russia, on Wednesday to take part in the sessions of the Council of the Heads of CIS States and the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

It is likely that the much-talked-about upcoming meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents will take place in Sochi, on the margins of the scheduled sessions.

 

16 Comments

  1. The President should not accept any meetings until all hostilities are stopped, he should not negotiate under threats.

    • What Armenian president should do is to make sure 10 Azerbaijani soldiers are killed in retaliation before the meeting. Having said that, I can not comprehend attending such a meeting and shaking hands with an Azerbaijani criminal honoring killers of Armenians.

  2. Why are so many Armenian servicemen being picked off by Azeri’s? Are we retaliating? Why are we not strengthening our defenses? How is the Karabagh military dealing with these deadly pot shots into Karabagh?

  3. To stop these so called “provocations ahead of presidents’ meetings”, Serge Sarkissian should refuse to attend any meetings if preceded by killing a soldier.

  4. Yes but, what do we do about our dead? Do we retaliate? How about some news about our responds to these types of attacks?

    • As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. What we need to do is to stop taking defensive posture and start attacking. We need to put the fear of God in these criminals like we did 25 years ago. Every time they kill one of us, innocent civilians and border town villagers in particular, we fire a dozen missiles and raze an Azeri village to the ground. The worst thing you can do is to appease a bully with inaction. You need to stand up to him and punch him in the mouth. Enough already! Every time we go after them they run and hide in mice holes. We need to keep up the pressure on them and remind them what will happen to them when they misbehave….

  5. Armenia’s president probably can’t cancel any meeting, because Armenia does not have a government of patriotic free thinkers which act for the best interests of all Armenians. Everything they do is within the context of self-enrichment or “approval from Russia”.

  6. The status quo is a smouldering warfare and sniping is a regular scenario. Casualty reporting is a matter of choice. It is possible that the adversary is not comfortable with loss records.

  7. The sad part is the Armenian leadership plays a fine balancing act of not looking weak yet maintaining power to steal and line their own pockets at the expense of other Armenians and the nation. That’s why they never discuss the real issue of emigration which is lack of political and financial equality in Armenia. Needs to end.

  8. These atrocities are becoming a regular occurance. It is about time a well worked out plan of action is put into action. Would any other civilized country put up with these crimes for so long? A punishment fit the crime is now needed.

  9. If you people want to make better sense of the deaths we are suffering on the border, think of what’s happening as a war that needs to be fought to preserve Artsakh independence and Armenia’s security. Because Baku cannot wage a full scale war against Armenia (because it fears repercussions from Moscow and Tehran and wants to avoid a full scale war) it is engaging in a war of attrition on the border instead. Their tactic is “death by a thousands cuts”. The four day war in April 2016 was also part of this strategy. They are hoping to demoralize Armenians, perhaps even foment an internal revolt or a revolution. Therefore, every time we despair and panic or attack our government for what’s going on, Baku wins.

    As I said, you people need to think of the deadly border skirmishes as a war to make better sense of the lives lost. It is also important to take into concideration that the fighting is also giving our military very valuable lessons and combat experience. Our country is located in the south Caucasus. Having a combat experienced military is essential. And there is nothing like a limited war like what’s going on to hone your military’s combat skills. Remember that between 1994 and 2014 our military was sitting idle and growing dangerously complacent. I’m glad our military got a big slap on the face in April 2016. Now, they are taking matters much more seriously and they are getting their act in order.

    To gain or maintain the sacred right to a nation-state we must be readily willing to sacrifice the lives of our young men. It’s been this way since the dawn of history. Small nations like us don’t get a free pass by the global community. Let’s remember Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”. This applies to all nations regardless of size. Therefore, let’s not lament our deaths on the border, let’s instead be proud of our fighters and let’s honor them. The men on the borders are war heroes and they are gaining for our military very valuable combat experience.

    I rather have this kind of a war than a full scale war which would be devestating for Armenia.

  10. Norserunt,
    You said “I rather have this kind of a war than a full scale war which would be devastating for Armenia” I agree with you, that Putin loves skirmishes…just checking and poking Tatar-Turks and warning to Armenia! This will go on until Putin’s term is over! KGB Putin is doing, what his ancestors Lenin and Uncle Joe did to Armenia, after all they were comrades and have same mentality!

  11. If that’s true, in that case THANK GOD that Putin does not love full scale wars. According to what you say, we wouldn’t have an Armenia today if he did. Am I not right? Do you people really think through your Russophobic propaganda or do you just pass on what you hear during your anti-Russian work shops? Anyway, instead of whining that Russians are playing realpolitik, we should be embracing the “mentality” and playing the game for the betterment of Armenia. The betterment of Armenia has one major prerequisite: Pax Russica in the south Caucasus. Any Armenians that hampers this Pax Russica hampers Armenia’s progress and security, and it therefore a traitor to Armenia.

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