Karabakh officials denounce alleged Azerbaijani incursion

The 8 January incident on the Agdam section of the Line of Contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces was the result of an attempt by Azerbaijani forces to enter the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) on a reconnaissance mission, Interfax and Caucasus Press quoted an unidentified NKR Defense Ministry official as saying on 9 January. One Azerbaijani serviceman was injured in the resulting exchange of fire, and a second was taken prisoner (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 9 and 10 January 2003). OSCE representative Andrzej Kasprczyk told Turan on 10 January that efforts are being made to secure the release of the captured Azerbaijani. LF