Azerbaijani, Soviet Troops Kill 22, Armenians Charge

The Soviet republic of Armenia accused Soviet and Azerbaijani troops of killing at least 22 people Tuesday when they stormed a village near the disputed southern territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

A spokesman for the Armenian National Movement said the troops surrounded the village of Getashen in Azerbaijan, which is populated by about 3,000 Armenians.

They moved in to arrest people suspected by Azerbaijan of being involved in guerrilla attacks, and 22 people were killed as residents resisted the onslaught, the spokesman said by telephone from the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

The Armenian mission in Moscow said later that tanks were used in the action and that 25 people were killed and dozens wounded.

Soviet and Azerbaijani authorities were not immediately available to comment on the reports. But the official Tass news agency said there had been fighting and deaths.

Tass also quoted the Azerbaijani news agency Azerinform, which said Soviet and Azerbaijani Interior Ministry forces were disarming illegal groups, cutting their communications with Armenia and checking passports in some areas.

Azerinform said large quantities of arms and ammunition were confiscated, as well as four cars and three armored personnel carriers. It also said 45 guerrillas were detained and that three soldiers were slightly injured.

The independent Interfax news agency quoted a senior Armenian Parliament official as saying he had flown over Getashen, which was surrounded by Azerbaijani special militia units and coming under heavy fire.

Tass said Armenian parliamentary deputies requested an emergency session of the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies to discuss “aggression against the republic of Armenia.”

Ethnic conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has cost more than 200 lives in the past few years. Nagorno-Karabakh has been the focus of the conflict.

The territory is a largely Armenian-populated enclave within Azerbaijan. Armenia wants it to be transferred to its control.

Interfax said Armenia’s Parliament met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss the situation.