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On the seventh day of the conflict, shots were heard again in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said the “last battle” for the region had begun. On Friday, Azerbaijani forces used heavy artillery to destroy a series of buildings in Stepanakert.
On Saturday night, Armenia in turn fired on 19 villages in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani units received a “backlash” and took up enemy positions, the Azerbaijani army said.
At least 191 people have been reported dead in Nagorno-Karabakh since the battles began last Sunday, including 158 pro-Armenian fighters and more than 30 civilians from both sides.
However, these figures are probably too low. The Baku government does not report any casualties in its forces. However, there are reports that nearly 30 Turkish fighters from Syria were killed fighting on the Azerbaijani side.
According to Armenia, more than 3,000 Azerbaijani soldiers have died since the start of the conflict. The Baku government says more than 2,300 Armenian soldiers have so far died.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with Al Jazeera television that the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the “occupied territories” was a condition for a ceasefire.
Nagorno-Karabakh is inhabited mainly by Armenians, who control the region and adjacent areas. The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized abroad. In terms of international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan.
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