Armenian soldiers killed in barracks fire

Armenia's Defense Ministry said on Thursday that a fire in a military barracks in the town of Azat left 15 soldiers dead and three more seriously injured.

In a brief statement, the Ministry of Defense acknowledged the tragedy: "According to preliminary information, 15 servicemen were killed as a result of a fire that broke out in the barracks of an engineer and sniper company of a military unit."

The statement added, "The condition of three servicemen is assessed as serious."

What do we know so far?

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said at a Cabinet meeting that the fire broke out because soldiers used gasoline to light a stove, which was a clear violation of fire safety rules. He added that the unit's commander and about a dozen other officers had been relieved of duty.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also fired General Vagram Grigoryan, who was in charge of the forces in the region where the fire happened.

Prosecutors have said they were launching an investigation into the incident.

Armenia, home to around three million people, is still recovering from a devastating 2020 war with Azerbaijan that resulted in a major military defeat and political turmoil.

Tensions between the former Soviet rivals over their borders continue to remain high despite the end of large-scale fighting. 

There have been clashes at the border between the two neighboring countries since the truce was negotiated. 

lo,es/ar (AFP, Reuters)