At least 3 die in latest shelling of Nagorno-Karabakh cities

STEPANAKERT, Nagor-Karabakh (AP) — At least three civilians were killed in latest shelling of Nagor-Karabakh cities Friday as Azerbaijan pushed its offensive to reclaim control over separatist territory for a sixth straight week, territorial authorities said..

Azerbaijani rockets and artillery shells hit residential areas in Nagor-Karabakh's regional capital, Stepanakert, and city of Shushi in hills just south, according to Nagor-Karabakh authorities. y said at least three people died, including a woman and her two grandchildren in Stepanakert.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry denied targeting civilian areas, as it has on previous days of fighting, and accused Armenia of targeting city of Terter and nearby vills in Azerbaijan.

Nagor-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war re ended in 1994. latest outbreak of fighting started on Sept. 27 and has left hundreds — if t thousands — de, marking worst escalation of deces-old conflict between two ex-Soviet nations in over a quarter-century.

According to Nagor-Karabakh officials, 1,177 of ir troops and 50 civilians have been killed. Azerbaijani authorities haven’t disclosed ir military losses, but say fighting has killed at least 92 civilians and wounded over 400. But Russian President Vlimir Putin said on Oct. 22 that actual death toll was nearing 5,000, according to information Moscow h at time.

Over 130,000 residents have been displaced since fighting flared up, U.N. children’s ncy UNICEF has reported.

fighting has continued to r despite international attempts to end hostilities, with two Russia-brokered cease-fires and a U.S.-negotiated truce failing instantly after y took effect.

In most recent mediation attempt a week ago, Russia, United States and France persued Armenia and Azerbaijan to make a mutual pledge t to target residential areas, but that agreement also collapsed within hours.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that for hostilities to end Armenian forces must withdraw from Nagor-Karabakh. He repeatedly criticized international mediators for failing to offer a settlement after three deces of talks and insisted that Azerbaijan has right to reclaim its territory by force.

Azerbaijani troops, which have relied on strike drones and long-range rocket systems supplied by Turkey, have reclaimed control of several regions on fringes of Nagor-Karabakh and pressed ir offensive into separatist territory from south.

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Associated Press writers Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, Vlimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Aida Sultava in London contributed to this report.