The Republic of Azerbaijan border guard force says its forces have clashed with three armed men who had illegally entered the country from Iran.
According to Azerbaijani sources, the Islamic Republic of Iran's border guard informed Baku on Wednesday evening, June 17, that three persons had crossed a border river and entered Azerbaijan. Border guards in Azerbaijan tracked them down, ordered them to halt, and fired a warning shot in the air. In response, the three opened fire and trying to avoid arrest.
One of the armed men carried a large sack believed to be full of narcotics, the Azerbaijani sources disclosed.
Meanwhile, one of the intruders injured in the shootout threw himself into the river, and the other two fled to the forest, where the Iranian guards arrested them.
Hours later, the Islamic Republic military also discovered the dead body of the third person, Azerbaijani officials declared.
Although Iran has not yet commented on the nationality of the three, Azerbaijan's official news agency says, "The violators turned out to be three unknown persons from Iran. They were armed with weapons, having night vision equipment, a large bag, possibly, with drugs inside."
The shootout occurred on the country's Goytepe border detachment outpost of the State Border Service's border troops near Kurunj village of Jalilabad district at 9:40 p.m. (GMT+4) on June 17, the State Border Service said.