More reports of shelling on Monday challenged the new cease-fire in the conflict over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, where heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has raged for over three weeks.
The new truce was announced Saturday. It was a second attempt to establish a cease-fire and end the fighting that killed hundreds since Sept. 27, when clashes resumed in a conflict that has simmered for decades. A cease-fire deal brokered by Russia earlier this month quickly frayed as both sides blamed each other for repeated violations.
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More reports of shelling on Monday challenged the new cease-fire in the conflict over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, where heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has raged for over three weeks.
Azerbaijan, in turn, accused Armenian forces of shelling its Goranboy, Terter, and Aghdam regions overnight and targeting the Aghjabedi region in the morning.
According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 710 of their servicemen have been killed the fighting since Sept. 27. Azerbaijan hasn’t disclosed its military losses, but says 60 civilians have died so far and 270 have been wounded.
The new truce announced on Saturday followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s calls with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which he strongly urged them to abide by the Moscow deal. Despite the agreement, both sides have reported new attacks.
Pro Trump supporters and protesters against the escalating conflict between Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan hold signs and flags along President Trump's motorcade route to a fundraiser in Newport Beach, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. (Leorard OrtizThe Orange County Register via AP)
A man fences off a tail of a multiple rocket after shelling by Azerbaijan's artillery during a military conflict in Shushi, outside Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. The latest outburst of fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces began Sept. 27 and marked the biggest escalation of the decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The region lies in Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994. (AP Photo)
People grieve at the grave of their relative and friend killed during a military conflict, at a cemetery in Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Armenia and Azerbaijan are trading accusations of violating the new cease-fire in their conflict over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh territory despite a true announced Saturday that was supposed to take effect at midnight. It is a second attempt to establish a cease-fire in the region since heavy fighting there broke out on Sept. 27. (AP Photo)
A woman reacts as she lays a flower at a symbolic memorial of victims of the military conflict in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh at the Armenian Embassy in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. The latest outburst of fighting began on Sept. 27 and has involved heavy artillery, rockets and drones, killing hundreds and marking the largest escalation of hostilities between the South Caucasus neighbors in more than a quarter-century. (AP PhotoMikhail Kirakosyan)
The Nagorno-Karabakh military said Monday that Azerbaijani forces in the morning resumed shelling in the northern and the southern directions. Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian also reported “heavy fighting” in the southern direction of the conflict zone.
People bury their relative and friend killed during a military conflict, at a cemetery in Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Armenia and Azerbaijan are trading accusations of violating the new cease-fire in their conflict over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh territory despite a true announced Saturday that was supposed to take effect at midnight. It is a second attempt to establish a cease-fire in the region since heavy fighting there broke out on Sept. 27. (AP Photo)
Azerbaijan, in turn, accused Armenian forces of shelling its Goranboy, Terter, and Aghdam regions overnight and targeting the Aghjabedi region in the morning.
Also Monday, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev announced that the country’s forces have taken control over 13 villages in the Jabrayil region near the Iranian border.
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. By the time the war ended, Armenian forces not only held Nagorno-Karabakh itself but also captured substantial areas outside the territory borders.
People visit the Holy Savior Cathedral damaged by shelling by Azerbaijan's artillery during a military conflict in Shushi, outside Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. The latest outburst of fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces began Sept. 27 and marked the biggest escalation of the decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The region lies in Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994. (AP Photo)
According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 710 of their servicemen have been killed the fighting since Sept. 27. Azerbaijan hasn’t disclosed its military losses, but says 60 civilians have died so far and 270 have been wounded.
The recent fighting involved heavy artillery, rockets and drones and has continued despite repeated calls for cessation of hostilities coming from around the globe. It marked the biggest escalation of a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and raised concerns of a wider conflict involving Turkey, which has publicly supported Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a security pact with Armenia.
On Oct. 9, Moscow hosted foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. After more than 10 hours of talks, they announced a cease-fire deal, which was violated minutes after it took force.
A man wearing a military uniform stands inside a house destroyed by shelling during a military conflict in Stepanakert in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. Stepanakert, the regional capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, came under intense shelling overnight, leaving three civilians wounded, according to separatist authorities. (David Ghahramanyan, NKR InfoCenterPAN Photo via AP)
The new truce announced on Saturday followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s calls with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which he strongly urged them to abide by the Moscow deal. Despite the agreement, both sides have reported new attacks.
Daria Litvinova contributed from Moscow.
Protesters against the escalating conflict between Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan hold signs and flags along President Trump's motorcade route to a fundraiser in Newport Beach, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. (Leorard OrtizThe Orange County Register via AP)
Pro Trump supporters and protesters against the escalating conflict between Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan hold signs and flags along President Trump's motorcade route to a fundraiser in Newport Beach, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. (Leorard OrtizThe Orange County Register via AP)
A man fences off a tail of a multiple rocket after shelling by Azerbaijan's artillery during a military conflict in Shushi, outside Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. The latest outburst of fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces began Sept. 27 and marked the biggest escalation of the decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The region lies in Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994. (AP Photo)
People grieve at the grave of their relative and friend killed during a military conflict, at a cemetery in Stepanakert, the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Armenia and Azerbaijan are trading accusations of violating the new cease-fire in their conflict over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh territory despite a true announced Saturday that was supposed to take effect at midnight. It is a second attempt to establish a cease-fire in the region since heavy fighting there broke out on Sept. 27. (AP Photo)
A woman reacts as she lays a flower at a symbolic memorial of victims of the military conflict in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh at the Armenian Embassy in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994. The latest outburst of fighting began on Sept. 27 and has involved heavy artillery, rockets and drones, killing hundreds and marking the largest escalation of hostilities between the South Caucasus neighbors in more than a quarter-century. (AP PhotoMikhail Kirakosyan)