Azerbaijan begins military exercise amid Armenia border tension

Baku, May 17 (IANS) Azerbaijan has launched a large-scale military exercise as the country was in a border tension with Armenia, according to the Defence Ministry here.Over 15,000 military personnel, 300 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 400 missiles and artillery systems and 50 military aircraft will involve in the drills, which will last till May 20, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying in a statement on Sunday.The exercise, in accordance with a plan approved by the president of Azerbaijan, aims to improve the army's combat readiness, coordination and interoperability among different units, said the statement.Earlier this week, Armenia accused Azerbaijani troops of crossing the southern border and advancing more than 3 km into Armenia's Syunik region.Azerbaijan denied the allegations, saying Azerbaijan was enforcing its own border and is committed to easing tensions in the region.Both countries said peaceful negotiations to de-escalate the tension were underway.
--IANS ksk/