Azerbaijan: Nearly 2,800 soldiers killed in Karabakh fighting

Azerbaijan has said nearly 2,800 of its soldiers were killed during its conflict with Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent districts, with more than 100 of its troops were still missing.

The Defence Ministry in Baku said in a statement on Thursday that "2,783 servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces were killed in the patriotic war," adding that 100 more soldiers were missing.

Yerevan had earlier announced that 2,317 Armenian troops died during the conflict. The fighting also killed at least 93 Azerbaijani and 50 Armenian civilians.

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Russia-brokered ceasefire

Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a Moscow-brokered peace deal on November 9 after Baku's army overwhelmed the other side and threatened to advance on Karabakh's main city Khankendi (Stepanakert in Armenian). 

Under the agreement, Armenia handed over control of seven districts that it seized around Karabakh during the 1990s war.

Nearly 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have deployed between the two sides and along the Lachin corridor, a 60-km route through the district that connects Khankendi to Armenia.

Up to 90,000 people – some 60 percent of the population – fled the disputed Karabakh region during the fighting.

Turkey and Russia will monitor the ongoing ceasefire through a joint centre in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Turkey says real chance for peace

Turkey's foreign minister said the agreement to end the war over Karabakh will have a positive impact on regional stability.

"We call on the other members of the Minsk Group, and especially the co-chairs, to refrain from politically motivated actions that would undermine the path to a negotiated solution," Mevlut Cavusoglu told the 27th Meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council over videoconference.

Turkey has always acted in line with international law and legitimacy, Cavusoglu said, adding that the country, as a member of the Minsk Group, is committed to supporting all efforts to find a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

"Now with the latest agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, after 30 years, there is a real chance of peace. The course will have a positive impact on relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Armenia and Turkey as well as regional stability," he noted.

He added that the solution must be based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

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