Published 07:01 IST, October 11th 2020
Armenia, Azerbaijan accuse each other of Nagorno-Karabakh truce violation
In less than a day of Russia brokered ceasefire agreement over Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of truce violation on Saturday
In less than a day of Russia brokered ceasefire agreement over the conflicted Nagorno-Karabakh region, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating the truce on Saturday, October 10.
As per reports, the cease-fire agreement called for an end to the worst outbreak of the conflict in more than a quarter-century. Armenia and Azerbaijan called out each other for violating the truce that took effect at 08:00 GMT highlighting new attacks in the region.
Truce violations
According to reports, while Azerbaijan's top diplomat has said that the truce never entered force, the Armenian military accused Azeri forces of shelling the area near Kapan that claimed a life. In response, Azerbaijan's defense ministry rejected the claims and called it as "provocation".
In addition, the Azerbaijani forces accused Armenia of striking missiles in the Terter and Agdam regions and added that Armenia attempted to launch offensives in the Agdere-Terter and the Fizuli-Jabrail areas.
Azeri Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov charged that “conditions for implementing the humanitarian cease-fire are currently missing” due to continuous shelling from Armenia's side. Later, Armenia's Defense Ministry denied any kind of truce violations and said that the truce was "largely holding" despite Azerbaijani “provocations,” to which Armenian forces responded.
The two former Soviet states are in an armed stand-off for years over the Nagorno-Karabakh, a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, and heavy clashes re-erupted on September 27, prompting fears of an all-out war. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan but it remains disputed as the region is controlled by ethnic Armenians.
Hundreds of people have been killed in the past week, including over 40 civilians.
The Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict has raised international concern about peace and stability in the South Caucasus. A full-fledged war could severely impact the international markets since Nagorno-Karabakh serves as a corridor for oil and gas pipelines from the Caspian Sea to world markets.
Image/Inputs: AP
Updated 07:01 IST, October 11th 2020