Clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan intensify, with 55 dead on the second day

At least 55 more people have died in a second day of shelling between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Hundreds of people were injured. As of Monday night, both sides had accused each other of heavy bombing, the Reuters news agency reported.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced on Monday the deployment of partial troops to protect national security. The country’s prosecutor’s office told Reuters yesterday that two of its civilians had died on Monday. Five Azerbaijani civilians were killed and 30 injured on Sunday, the first day of fighting.

Meanwhile, Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said 53 of its soldiers were killed in Monday’s shelling. Hours earlier, 31 officers died and 200 were injured. However, some areas lost on Sunday were able to recover on Monday. This is the most intense fight between the two countries since 2016.

Nagorno-Karabakh leader Araik Harutiunyan has declared this year’s fighting to be a “life and death battle”.

However, in the long run, the war could lead to a confrontation between Russia and Turkey. Russia has a long-standing military alliance with Armenia. On the other hand, Azerbaijan is receiving support from Ankara because there are ethnic Turks in Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, China has said it does not want to see a clash between Armenia and Azerbaijan. China’s Foreign Ministry has called for the resolution of disputes between the two countries through political talks.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Webin made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing on Monday. He said China was urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain calm and restrained.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has already called for a ceasefire on both sides. The UN Security Council could hold an emergency meeting in Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday, the AFP news agency reported.