WORLD
Armenia and Azerbaijan fight over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region
Fierce fighting continues to rage following a flare-up of a decades-old conflict in the Caucasus region of south-eastern Europe.
Dozens of deaths have been reported in battles between forces fighting for Armenia and Azerbaijan.
At the heart of the conflict is a dispute over control of the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
It is recognised as part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a war ended in 1994.
Tens of thousands of people died during the war and a million others were forced to leave their homes.
Other countries are concerned that the latest fighting could spill out of the region and draw in neighbouring powers, including Turkey, Russia and Iran.
They are also keen to maintain stability because gas and oil pipelines that supply the world run through the area.
- What is behind the conflict?
The latest intense fighting began on Sunday with both Armenia and Azerbaijan blaming each other for the escalation.
Both parties said they had mobilised more soldiers and declared martial law in some areas.
The fighting is the heaviest seen in the conflict since 2016 when at least 200 people were killed in clashes.
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Turkey has already declared its support for Azerbaijan, while Russia – which has military bases in Armenia but is also friendly with Azerbaijan – called for an immediate ceasefire.
Armenia has accused Turkey of providing direct military support to help Azerbaijan gain control of territory, a claim denied by Azerbaijan.
On Monday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Armenia must immediately end its “occupation” of the region, which he said would end the long crisis.
In a BBC interview, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan accused Azerbaijan of sabotaging a peaceful settlement to the conflict and insisted Armenia must defend the region.
A spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s presidential administration told the BBC that his country was taking “counter-measures” against provocations by Armenia.
On Monday, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh, who are backed by Armenia, said another 28 of their soldiers had been killed. They had reported 16 fatalities and more than 100 people wounded on Sunday.
Armenian authorities said 200 Armenians were wounded, according to Interfax.
Azerbaijan said two Azeri civilians were killed on Monday, following the deaths of five people from the same family died on Sunday. It added that 30 civilians were wounded.
Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said their forces had reclaimed some territory taken by Azeri troops on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s government said on Monday that it had occupied strategically important locations in the disputed region.
In July, at least 16 people died in border clashes, prompting the largest demonstration in years in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, where there were calls for the region’s recapture.
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Source: bbc.com
