4 yıl önce

Fierce clashes continue for third day in occupied Karabakh

Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry says Armenian forces have attempted to retake freed ground by launching counterattacks but failed.

AFP

Occupied Karabakh has since Sunday been the scene of deadly clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, sparking international concern.

Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have deployed heavy artillery in the latest fighting over the occupied Karabakh region as the overall confirmed death toll nears 100 – mostly Armenian soldiers – since violence broke out over the weekend.

Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that Armenian forces attempted to recover lost ground by launching counterattacks in the directions of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Aghdara and Tartar, but failed.

The ministry said in a statement there was fighting around Fuzuli city with Armenian troops shelling the Dashkesan region on the border between the two countries, miles away from occupied Karabakh.

Armenia denied the shelling, but reported fighting throughout the night and said its forces repelled attacks in several directions along the line of contact.

Residential areas in Azerbaijan's Tartar area, few kilometres from the frontline, were shelled by Armenian forces, TRT World's Andrew Hopkins said.

"Locals told us three people have died as a result of missiles landing," he said. Azerbaijan has lost at least 12 civilians in Armenian shelling since Sunday.

Turkey denies shooting down Armenian warplane

Turkey and Azerbaijan both denied Armenia's claim that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down an Armenian warplane on Tuesday.

Armenian Defence Ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan said the Armenian SU-25 warplane was downed – and its pilot killed – during clashes.

Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun called the claim "absolutely untrue".

"Armenia should withdraw from the territories under its occupation instead of resorting to cheap propaganda tricks," Altun said.

Azerbaijan Defence Ministry spokesman Vagif Dyargahly also called the claim "yet another lie of Armenian propaganda".

Turkey supports Azerbaijan in the conflict, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging Armenia to withdraw immediately from the separatist region.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is "by Azerbaijan’s side on the field and at the (negotiating) table."

Growing casualties

At least 12 Azeri civilians were killed and 35 wounded by Armenian fire, the Azerbaijan Prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Four Armenian civilians have been reported dead as yet.

Azerbaijani jets and troops destroyed a convoy of Armenian armoured vehicles setting off from the Madagiz village and neutralised 10 soldiers near Fuzuli, Azerbaijan's said on Tuesday morning.

Azerbaijani military officials told Russia's Interfax news agency that over 550 Armenian troops were "destroyed (including those wounded)" in a claim that Armenia denied.

A long-standing dispute

Border clashes broke out early on Sunday. Azerbaijan reported Armenian forces had targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to casualties.

Azerbaijan's parliament declared a state of war in some of its cities and regions following Armenia's border violations and attacks in the occupied region.

Relations between the two former Soviet nations have been tense since 1993, when Armenian forces occupied Upper Karabakh, an internationally-recognised territory of Azerbaijan.

TRTWorld

Occupied Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of Armenia since 1993.

UN concerned

Four UN Security Council and two UN General Assembly resolutions, as well as many international organisations, demand the withdrawal of the occupying forces.

The OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the US, was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail.

A ceasefire, however, was agreed upon in 1994.

France, Russia and NATO, among others, have urged an immediate halt to clashes in the occupied region.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has condemned Armenia's attack on Azerbaijan and called for a political solution to the conflict between the two countries.

The United Nations Security Council expressed concern on Tuesday over the clashes.

"Security Council members voiced support for the call by the Secretary General on the sides to immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions and return to meaningful negotiations without delay," the council said in a statement.