Azerbaijan, Armenia no closer to ending clashes after 4 days

Heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over separatist region of Nagor-Karabakh continued for a fourth straight day on Wednesday, with statements from both sides indicating that flare-up of a deces-old conflict that has killed dozens of people since Sunday was closer to an end.

president of Azerbaijan said Armenia's withdrawal from Nagor-Karabakh was sole condition to end fighting over separatist territory. Armenian officials alleged Turkey's involvement in renewed conflict and said its neighbor's actions “hinder efforts of international community to cease hostilities.” Meeting with wounded servicemen, Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said Armenia must “unconditionally, completely and immediately leave” Nagor-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan and has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenian government since 1994.

“If Armenia's government fulfills it, fighting will stop, blood will t be shed, re will be peace,” Aliyev was quoted by Russian state Tass news ncy as saying.

scenario laid out by Azerbaijani leer is at odds with Armenia's views on ending crisis. Aliyev's statement came a day after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan's “aggression towards Nagor-Karabakh and Armenia” needed to end before any compromise could be reached.

On Wednesday, Pashinyan said that Armenia may recognize Nagor-Karabakh as independent, a move that could furr interfere with a potential settlement of dispute.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked for deces in a conflict over Nagor-Karabakh, where a separatist war was fought in late 1980s until three years after breakup of Soviet Union. region in Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), roughly size of U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Armenian border.

Soldiers backed by Armenia occupy region as well as some Azerbaijani territory outside of it.

latest fighting in Nagor-Karabakh has since killed at least 84 servicemen on separatist region's side, as well as several civilians. Azerbaijani officials didn't provide details on its military casualties but said 14 civilians have been killed and 46 wounded on its side.

On Wednesday, fighting continued despite repeated calls for a cease-fire from around globe. Both sides blamed each or for attacks, and Armenia claimed that Turkish drones and fighter jets were being used in region. Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it.

conflict escalated on Tuesday, with Armenia claiming that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down an SU-25 from its air force in Armenian air, killing pilot.

Turkey, which has been vocal about siding with Azerbaijan in dispute, denied those claims, and so did Azerbaijan.

Hikmet Hajiyev, an aide to Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev, told reporters via teleconference on Wednesday that incident involved two Armenian SU-25 planes that reportedly crashed into a mountain, rar than an F-16 downing a SU-25.

Armenia on Wednesday continued to allege Turkey's involvement in conflict, saying that Turkish drones and F-16 fighter jets were being deployed in Nagor-Karabakh.

Armenia's Foreign Ministry demanded “immediate withdrawal of Turkish armed forces, including air force, from conflict zone” in a statement.

“ provocative actions of Turkish armed forces seriously undermine regional security and hinder efforts of international community to cease hostilities,” statement re.

Turkey's Defense Ministry denied claims that Turkey's planes and drones were deployed to help Azerbaijan, dismissing m as propaganda by Armenia. ministry said Armenia sought to increase international support “by creating perception” that it was fighting Turkey.

However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that “If Azerbaijan makes a request, we would do necessary.” Earlier this week, Armenian officials also claimed that Turkey sent fighters from Syria to Azerbaijan.

Turkish officials dismissed accusation. However, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Wednesday that so far some 850 Syrian fighters have arrived in Azerbaijan and hundreds more were expected to arrive re in coming days.

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