Armenia, Azerbaijan blame each other for truce violations

Despite a second attempt at a cease-fire, Armenia and Azerbaijan tred accusations Sunday of violating new truce in ir destructive conflict over separatist region of Nagor-Karabakh.

latest truce, which was anunced Saturday and took force at midnight, was second attempt to establish a cease-fire since heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces broke out in Nagor-Karabakh on Sept 27.

fighting and shelling has killed hundreds of people — both combatants and civilians — and marks biggest escalation of a deces-old conflict over region in more than a quarter-century.

fighting, involving heavy artillery, rockets and drones, has continued despite repeated calls for cessation of hostilities coming from around globe. It also raises specter of a wider conflict that could draw in Russia and Turkey and threaten Caspian Sea energy exports.

Armenian military officials on Sunday reported artillery shelling and missile strikes by Azerbaijani forces in conflict zone overnight. In morning, “ enemy launched an attack in sourn direction," and re were “casualties and wounded on both sides," Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanian said.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, in turn, maintained that Armenian forces used mortars and artillery in conflict zone overnight despite cease-fire and in morning attempted attacks in several directions.

ministry accused Armenia of using large-caliber weapons to attack positions of Azerbaijani army in two regions rth of Nagor-Karabakh along border, a claim Armenian military officials denied.

Azerbaijani military also said it downed an Armenian Su-25 warplane “attempting to inflict airstrikes on positions of Azerbaijan army in Jabrayil direction,” but Stepanian dismissed statement as untrue.

Nagor-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war re ended in 1994.

According to Nagor-Karabakh officials, 673 of ir servicemen have been killed in renewed fighting. Azerbaijan hasn't disclosed its military losses, but says 60 civilians have died so far and 270 have been wounded.

Turkey has publicly backed oil-rich Azerbaijan in conflict and vowed to help it reclaim its territory.

Russia, which has a security pact with Armenia but has cultivated warm ties with Azerbaijan, hosted top diplomats from both countries last week for more than 10 hours of talks that ended with initial cease-fire agreement. But deal frayed immediately after truce took effect last Saturday, with both sides blaming each or for breaching it.

new cease-fire agreement was anunced a week later on Saturday, following Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's calls with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which he strongly urged m to abide by Moscow deal.

But several hours after truce took force at midnight, both sides started accusing each or of breaching agreement.

Later Sunday, Armenia and Azerbaijan reiterated ir commitments to cease-fire in statements issued by ir foreign ministries, and laid blame for breaches on each or.

Azerbaijan “reserves its right to take counter measures to protect its civilians and positions,” country's Foreign Ministry said.

Yerevan “will continue to undertake all necessary measures to impose peace on Azerbaijan and establish a cease-fire regime which will entail precise and effective mechanisms for maintaining and verifying it," Armenian Foreign Ministry said.