Border dispute in the South Caucasus – Heavy fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia imposes martial law – News

• Azerbaijan and Armenia fight in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• The Azerbaijani army claims to have launched an offensive. They conquered half a dozen villages under Armenian control fighting along the front line.
• Armenia reports that its forces shot down two Azerbaijani helicopters.
• The EU and Russia are calling for the fighting to stop immediately.

After fighting with neighboring Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict region, Armenia has declared a state of war and ordered full mobilization. This was announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan. Azerbaijan had previously announced a military operation against Nagorno-Karabakh. “We liberated six villages, five in Fizuli district and one in Jebrail district,” a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told AFP.

Soldiers in the South Caucasus region are said to be numerous wounded and around 10 dead. It is the worst escalation in decades.

The capital, Stepanakert, had been bombed, people should be safe, Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said. Numerous houses in towns were destroyed. According to reports from Baku and Yerevan, the fighting continued.

Point finger reciprocally

Both sides blamed each other for the fighting. The bombardment started early Sunday morning from the Azerbaijani side, Pashinyan wrote on Facebook. “All responsibility for this lies with the military and political leadership of Azerbaijan,” said the spokeswoman for the Armenian Defense Ministry.

Yerevan shot down helicopters and combat drones. Three enemy tanks were hit. Baku denied this and emphasized that the fighting was a counter-offensive on the front line. Armenia provoked the fighting.

The EU and Russia call for a ceasefire

EU Council President Charles Michel and the Council of Europe have called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately end the fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict region. Michel expressed his deep concern in a tweet. “To avoid further escalation, military action must urgently cease.” The only way out is an immediate return to negotiations without preconditions.

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić said both countries must take responsibility and act with restraint. The fighting must stop immediately. “By joining the Council of Europe, both countries promised to resolve the conflict by peaceful means, and this obligation must be strictly observed. Pejčinović Burić called on both parties to do everything possible to protect human lives. “No effort should be spared to stop the escalation.”

Russia has also called on the warring South Caucasian republics to immediately end fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is holding intense talks to persuade the warring parties to stop the fire in the conflict region, the authority announced in Moscow on Sunday. Both countries would have to return to the negotiating table.

In July there was intense fighting on the border between the republics at war; however, the fighting took place hundreds of kilometers north of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia depends on Russia as a protective power, which has stationed thousands of soldiers and weapons there.

Turkey sided with Azerbaijan

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on both sides to stop the fire immediately. Baku and Yerevan should also start talks to stabilize the situation. Neighboring Turkey accused Armenia of violating international law. The Ankara Foreign Ministry announced that it strongly condemned the “Armenian attack”. Turkey is on the side of Azerbaijan.