Clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in the volatile Nagorno-Karabakh region intensified on Wednesday as a Russia-brokered ceasefire failed. The two rivals continued to trade blame for provoking the conflict, which according to reports, is the deadliest since the 2020 war.
So far over 150 Armenian and Azerbaijani troops have been killed in the fighting. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday that 105 Armenian soldiers have been killed. Azerbaijani officials claimed that over 50 Azerbaijani military personnel have died.
The Armenian defence ministry said the fighting expanded to new areas after Azerbaijani troops resumed “intense missile and artillery shelling” of peaceful settlements and used attack drones. The ministry accused the “enemy” of not distinguishing between civilian and military targets, alleging that Azerbaijan shelled civilian areas and, in one instance, even targeted a Russian mission carrying humanitarian supplies.
The Azerbaijani armed forces must immediately cease their deadly attacks on Armenian territory.
— Freedom House (@freedomhouse) September 14, 2022
Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be carried out through diplomacy, not through artillery and drone strikes.
Read the full statement here: https://t.co/1MyHM30uB7
“Along with the missile strikes, the Azerbaijani subdivisions have also resumed attempts to advance their positions,” it noted.
In a separate statement, the ministry claimed that Armenian forces retaliated and took “all necessary measures to adequately respond to the enemy.” As a result, “the intensity of the enemy’s missile and artillery attacks […] have weakened” it said.
Azerbaijan, on the other hand, blamed Armenian forces for expanding the fighting and committing “large-scale provocations.” The defence ministry said Armenian shelling killed several Azerbaijani civilians. “Armenian armed forces have been subjecting to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army stationed in the direction of the Kalbajar region using mortars and artillery pieces,” the ministry said, adding that Azerbaijan took “retaliatory measures.”
We need to be objective about our position when it comes to the clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. For too long 🇦🇲 has been a close ally of Russia (with all predictable consequances) whilst 🇦🇿 has continued to be aways a loyal and strategic friend to Poland and the West. https://t.co/EQbz9snecN
— Tomasz Poręba (@TomaszPoreba) September 14, 2022
Moreover, it accused Armenia of deploying more troops and weapons to the border. “By subjecting to fire, the Azerbaijan Army positions from those points in the settlements, Armenia is trying to turn these firing points into legitimate military targets and deliberately expand the area of military operations,” it emphasised.
Fighting continued for the second day despite Russia brokering a ceasefire. The Russian foreign ministry announced Tuesday that it had negotiated a truce between Armenia and Azerbaijan and that the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh was “relatively calm.” Shortly after the announcement, however, fighting once again erupted.
Clashes began on Monday after Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating the ceasefire reached following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Azerbaijan, Armenia update:
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) September 14, 2022
• Azerbaijan seized some Armenian territory (outside of Karabakh)
• 100 Armenian, nearly 50 Azerbaijani soldiers dead
• Pashinyan demands CSTO to remove Azerbaijani forces
• Russian forces might be hit, AZ denies
• AZ blocks TikTok pic.twitter.com/KuVB3xB5wD
The international community continued to urge Yerevan and Baku to take steps to mitigate the conflict and continue peace talks. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held a special session on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the South Caucasus and urged the two sides to agree to an “early ceasefire” and settle the conflict “politically and diplomatically.”
The European Union, the United States, France, Russia, and Iran also called for an immediate end to the fighting.