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Image posted, Reuters
A temporary ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan came into force, after two weeks of fierce fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
However, the two sides exchanged accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement.
The truce is intended to allow the two sides to exchange prisoners and recover the bodies of the dead.
Officials from Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh say they want the region to be recognized as an independent state, but Azerbaijan says the ceasefire will not be extended and it hopes to control more territory.
Before the ceasefire came into force, Armenia and Azerbaijan also accused each other of bombing civilian areas.
More than 300 people have died and thousands have been displaced since the last outbreak of violence in the protracted conflict on September 27.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region is ruled by Armenians, although it is officially considered part of the territory of Azerbaijan.
And blaming the two former republics of the Soviet Union for causing the latest outbreak of violence, which is the worst in decades.
How was the ceasefire achieved?
The ceasefire was agreed after 10 hours of talks in the Russian capital Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the two countries would now begin “substantive” talks.
However, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatskanyan later described the talks as “somewhat difficult” and said that Armenia wants Nagorno Karabakh to be recognized internationally as an independent state.
Nagorno-Karabakh officials, whose independence was declared unilaterally, echoed the Armenian call and accused Azerbaijan of using the ceasefire talks as a cover to prepare for further attacks.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jihon Bayramov said that he did not put enough pressure on Armenia during the talks and that the situation in Nagorno Karabakh could not continue as it was.
He said that Azerbaijan hopes to impose its control on more territory, and that the ceasefire will only last as long as the Red Cross needs to complete the body exchange.
Turkey, which supports Azerbaijan, said the truce was Armenia’s “last chance” to withdraw its forces from the disputed territory.
Image posted, EPA
Ceasefire talks lasted 10 hours, sponsored by Russia
Russia maintains a military base in Armenia. The two countries are also members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) coalition.
However, Moscow also has good relations with Azerbaijan.
What is the latest data on the ground?
The Armenian Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijani forces launched the attack five minutes after the truce was scheduled to take effect, and that Armenian forces responded to it. The Defense Ministry also said that Azerbaijani forces bombed a city.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that Armenia is “flagrantly violating the ceasefire regime” and is shooting at the Azerbaijani regions in “Tatar” and “Agdam”, which was denied by Armenia.
There was also heavy fighting before the ceasefire. Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said Azerbaijan fired missiles at civilian neighborhoods in the city of “Stepanakert”, which is the main city in the region, while Armenia accused Azerbaijani forces of intensifying their drone air strikes.
Azerbaijan, for its part, said that Armenia bombarded populated areas near Nagorno Karabakh with artillery and was responding to fire directed at it.
On Thursday, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of intentionally bombing a historic cathedral in Nagorno Karabakh. The images showed great damage to the Cathedral of the Holy Savior in the city of Shusha (known as Shushi in Armenian).
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan said that the city of “Ganja”, its second largest city, and the region of “Goranboy” were bombed by Armenian forces, resulting in the death of at least one civilian.
In an interview with the BBC last week, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned of “genocide” in the region and said that “Armenia is the land of Armenians.”
The clashes have displaced half of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population, some 70,000 people, according to authorities.
The city of “Stepanakert” had been bombed for several days, as residents flocked to take refuge in basements, while electricity was cut off in most of the city.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought wars over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between 1988 and 1994, eventually declaring a ceasefire. However, they have never reached a solution to their dispute.
