Azerbaijan forces said it hit missile launch site in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-ceasefire-armenia-says-azerbaijan-launching-attacks-towards-karakhanbeyli-334256">Armenia</a> as the conflict over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reports-of-new-armenia-azerbaijan-clashes-dent-ceasefire-hopes-334643">Nagorno-Karabakh</a> region continued despite a ceasefire agreement between the two countries in Moscow last week.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-armenia-azerbaijan-truce-breaks-in-5-minutes-334840/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Azerbaijan's defence ministry said it destroyed a ballistic missile system and a rocket system in Armenia in overnight attcks on Wednesday.

The latest report comes as both sides have accused each other of shelling cities even as Russia and the United States have called a halt to the hostilities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armenia-azerbaijan-continue-fighting-amid-rising-death-toll-335094">Also Read:&nbsp;Armenia, Azerbaijan continue fighting amid rising death toll</a>

At least 600 people have died in the conflict including over 70 civilians as both nations have continued to pound each other's positions even after a ceasefire deal was reached in Moscow after over 11 hours of talks last week.

Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is largely populated with Armenians and has been controlled by &nbsp;Armenia since war broke out between the two countries in the 1990s after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. At least 30,000 people had died in the conflict at the time leading to a truce in 1994.

The conflict escalated on September 27 as the two sides fired at each other leading Russia, United States and France which comprise the Minsk group to intervene.

Azerbaijan forces said it hit missile launch site in Armenia as the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region continued despite a ceasefire agreement between the two countries in Moscow last week.

Azerbaijan forces said it hit missile launch site in Armenia as the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region continued despite a ceasefire agreement between the two countries in Moscow last week. Watch: Azerbaijan's defence ministry said it destroyed a ballistic missile system and a rocket system in Armenia in overnight attcks on Wednesday. The latest report comes as both sides have accused each other of shelling cities even as Russia and the United States have called a halt to the hostilities. Also Read: Armenia, Azerbaijan continue fighting amid rising death toll At least 600 people have died in the conflict including over 70 civilians as both nations have continued to pound each other's positions even after a ceasefire deal was reached in Moscow after over 11 hours of talks last week. Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is largely populated with Armenians and has been controlled by Armenia since war broke out between the two countries in the 1990s after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. At least 30,000 people had died in the conflict at the time leading to a truce in 1994. The conflict escalated on September 27 as the two sides fired at each other leading Russia, United States and France which comprise the Minsk group to intervene.

Azerbaijan hits ballistic missile launch site in Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces continued to accuse each other on Tuesday of launching new attacks in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, increasing strain on a three-day-old humanitarian ceasefire intended to end heavy fighting over the mountain enclave.

The fighting has surged to its worst level since the 1990s, when some 30,000 people were killed.

Ethnic Armenian officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said 17 more servicemen had been killed in fighting with Azerbaijan, bringing its total military death toll to 542 since fighting broke out on September 27, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday.

Russia, which brokered the ceasefire, appealed for both sides to respect it and Luxembourg repeated European Union calls for Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, to do more to secure an end to hostilities that have killed hundreds of people.

The fighting, the deadliest over Nagorno-Karabakh in more than 25 years, is being watched closely abroad partly because of its proximity to Azeri gas and oil pipelines and the risk of regional powers Turkey and Russia being dragged in.

Both Ankara and Moscow are under growing pressure to use their influence in the region to end the fighting.

The ceasefire is meant to allow ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijan to swap prisoners and bodies of people killed in two weeks of fighting. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians.

But the ceasefire has frayed quickly. Azerbaijan said on Sunday it had launched air strikes against an Armenian regiment, following what it said was an Armenian rocket attack on an apartment building in the second biggest city of Ganja. Armenia denied carrying out such an attack..

On Monday, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said Armenian forces had tried to attack its positions around the Aghdere-Aghdam and Fizuli-Jabrail regions, and were shelling territories in the Goranboy and Terter regions inside Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh said its forces had inflicted losses on Azeri forces and that large-scale military operations were continuing in the Hadrut area of the enclave.

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Armenia’s foreign minister, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. He accused Azerbaijan of acting to expand Turkey’s influence in the region and of using pro-Turkish mercenaries - charges both Ankara and Baku deny.

Azerbaijan said 41 Azeri civilians had been killed and 207 wounded since September 27. It has not disclosed information about military casualties.

Nagorno-Karabakh said its military death toll since September 27 had reached 525. At least 31 civilians had been killed, RIA news agency quoted Nagorno-Karabakh rights ombudsman Artak Beglaryan as saying.

(with inputs from agencies

Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces continued to accuse each other on Tuesday of launching new attacks in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, increasing strain on a three-day-old humanitarian ceasefire intended to end heavy fighting over the mountain enclave.

Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces continued to accuse each other on Tuesday of launching new attacks in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, increasing strain on a three-day-old humanitarian ceasefire intended to end heavy fighting over the mountain enclave. The fighting has surged to its worst level since the 1990s, when some 30,000 people were killed. Ethnic Armenian officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said 17 more servicemen had been killed in fighting with Azerbaijan, bringing its total military death toll to 542 since fighting broke out on September 27, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday. Russia, which brokered the ceasefire, appealed for both sides to respect it and Luxembourg repeated European Union calls for Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, to do more to secure an end to hostilities that have killed hundreds of people. The fighting, the deadliest over Nagorno-Karabakh in more than 25 years, is being watched closely abroad partly because of its proximity to Azeri gas and oil pipelines and the risk of regional powers Turkey and Russia being dragged in. Both Ankara and Moscow are under growing pressure to use their influence in the region to end the fighting. The ceasefire is meant to allow ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijan to swap prisoners and bodies of people killed in two weeks of fighting. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians. But the ceasefire has frayed quickly. Azerbaijan said on Sunday it had launched air strikes against an Armenian regiment, following what it said was an Armenian rocket attack on an apartment building in the second biggest city of Ganja. Armenia denied carrying out such an attack.. On Monday, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said Armenian forces had tried to attack its positions around the Aghdere-Aghdam and Fizuli-Jabrail regions, and were shelling territories in the Goranboy and Terter regions inside Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh said its forces had inflicted losses on Azeri forces and that large-scale military operations were continuing in the Hadrut area of the enclave. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Armenia’s foreign minister, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. He accused Azerbaijan of acting to expand Turkey’s influence in the region and of using pro-Turkish mercenaries - charges both Ankara and Baku deny. Azerbaijan said 41 Azeri civilians had been killed and 207 wounded since September 27. It has not disclosed information about military casualties. Nagorno-Karabakh said its military death toll since September 27 had reached 525. At least 31 civilians had been killed, RIA news agency quoted Nagorno-Karabakh rights ombudsman Artak Beglaryan as saying. (with inputs from agencies

Nagorno-Karabakh truce frays; Russia appeals for peace

The European Union on Sunday expressed "extreme concern" over reports of continued military activity in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-ceasefire-armenia-says-azerbaijan-launching-attacks-towards-karakhanbeyli-334256">Nagorno-Karabakh</a> region despite a ceasefire between warring Armenia and Azerbaijan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/truce-too-fragile-pope-francis-calls-for-dialogue-as-karabakh-ceasefire-under-severe-strain-334515">Also Read:&nbsp;Pope Francis calls for dialogue as Karabakh ceasefire under severe strain</a>

"We note with extreme concern the reports of continued military activities, including against civilian targets, as well as civilian casualties," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

The EU's latest statement comes as heavy shelling was reported in civilian areas after a ceasefire was brokered between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armenia-and-azerbaijan-accuse-each-other-of-violating-fragile-truce-334365">Armenia </a>and Azerbaijan in Moscow.

Armenia meanwhile accused Azerbaijan of shelling civilian areas although Nagorno-Karabakh's leader Arayik Harutyunyan described the situation as "calmer" on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Canada said that Turkey and all external parties should stay out of the conflict after the Erdogan regime said peace efforts by Russia, US and France was bound to fail unless they Armenian forces withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey has been a firm ally of Azerbaijan and has openly backed its forces on the ground. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar had earlier said that Azerbaijan's offensive will not stop until Armenia withdrew its forces.

"Until the occupation is over, until the terrorists and mercenaries are taken out of there, nobody should expect our Azeri brothers to stop," Akar said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had said that there was a threat of a "regional war" if the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh wasn't controlled. &nbsp;Peace is the basis of our work and we hope to restore stability to the region in a peaceful way," Rouhani said.

The European Union on Sunday expressed "extreme concern" over reports of continued military activity in the Nagorno-Karabakh region despite a ceasefire between warring Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The European Union on Sunday expressed "extreme concern" over reports of continued military activity in the Nagorno-Karabakh region despite a ceasefire between warring Armenia and Azerbaijan. Also Read: Pope Francis calls for dialogue as Karabakh ceasefire under severe strain "We note with extreme concern the reports of continued military activities, including against civilian targets, as well as civilian casualties," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. The EU's latest statement comes as heavy shelling was reported in civilian areas after a ceasefire was brokered between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow. Armenia meanwhile accused Azerbaijan of shelling civilian areas although Nagorno-Karabakh's leader Arayik Harutyunyan described the situation as "calmer" on Sunday. Meanwhile, Canada said that Turkey and all external parties should stay out of the conflict after the Erdogan regime said peace efforts by Russia, US and France was bound to fail unless they Armenian forces withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey has been a firm ally of Azerbaijan and has openly backed its forces on the ground. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar had earlier said that Azerbaijan's offensive will not stop until Armenia withdrew its forces. "Until the occupation is over, until the terrorists and mercenaries are taken out of there, nobody should expect our Azeri brothers to stop," Akar said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had said that there was a threat of a "regional war" if the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh wasn't controlled. Peace is the basis of our work and we hope to restore stability to the region in a peaceful way," Rouhani said.

Extremely concerned over civilian casualties in Nagorno-Karabakh: EU

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Morning news brief: Updates on US presidential race, Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire and more

Guennadi Avanessian had a big two-storey house at 28 Saroyan Street, with a wooden terrace and vines laden with dark grapes.

But his comfortable middle-class home in a well-off street in the capital of war-hit Nagorno-Karabakh region has been smashed to pieces during the conflict between neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"I spent two years renovating this house with my own hands, and (Azerbaijani president) Aliyev destroyed it in two seconds with his bombs," Avanessian rages to anyone who will listen from behind his moustache.

With a blue hat on his head, the 70-something clambers onto the huge heap of debris that is all that remains after the gutted house collapsed in on itself.

With a shovel, he searches through the twisted sheet metal, bits and pieces of the home's structure and traces of his former life.

Azerbaijani forces bombarded the area a week ago, and it is the first time Avanessian has returned.

He is looking to scrape together whatever can be salvaged during a lull in the fighting after a ceasefire came into force on Saturday at noon.

"I was here when the rocket came down. I heard a whistle and I rushed into the cellar. I was two seconds away from being killed," he recalls.

His son-in-law, also in the house that day, got away with an injury -- a minor miracle given the total destruction visited on the house.

"It's a Smerch rocket that did this," Avanessian says, referring to the Soviet-era "Tornado" projectiles that have been falling throughout Karabakh's largest city during the past week of fighting over the ethnic Armenian breakaway territory.

"Where will I live now? Under the stars, under the rain? I had everything and now I have nothing left, I can't find anything. Everything's blown apart. The only thing I could find was a suitcase with children's clothes," he laments, showing off the battered, ancient bag.

"How can one man do this to another? Aliyev, you say that Karabakh is Azerbaijan. If I live in Azerbaijan, why have you bombed my house?" asks Avanessian.

"I built this house to live in peace and they've destroyed it. The Azerbaijanis are bombing civilians. They're murderers, extremists!"

Neither does the retired police officer spare Turkey that has encouraged its ally Azerbaijan during the fighting.

"A curse on Erdogan!" he tells AFP's reporter and photographer, heaping insults on the Turkish president.

"If you were here in front of me, I'd hack you to death with an axe."

Guennadi Avanessian had a big two-storey house at 28 Saroyan Street, with a wooden terrace and vines laden with dark grapes. But his comfortable middle-class home in a well-off street in the capital of war-hit Nagorno-Karabakh region has been smashed to pieces during the conflict between neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Guennadi Avanessian had a big two-storey house at 28 Saroyan Street, with a wooden terrace and vines laden with dark grapes. But his comfortable middle-class home in a well-off street in the capital of war-hit Nagorno-Karabakh region has been smashed to pieces during the conflict between neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia. "I spent two years renovating this house with my own hands, and (Azerbaijani president) Aliyev destroyed it in two seconds with his bombs," Avanessian rages to anyone who will listen from behind his moustache. With a blue hat on his head, the 70-something clambers onto the huge heap of debris that is all that remains after the gutted house collapsed in on itself. With a shovel, he searches through the twisted sheet metal, bits and pieces of the home's structure and traces of his former life. Azerbaijani forces bombarded the area a week ago, and it is the first time Avanessian has returned. He is looking to scrape together whatever can be salvaged during a lull in the fighting after a ceasefire came into force on Saturday at noon. "I was here when the rocket came down. I heard a whistle and I rushed into the cellar. I was two seconds away from being killed," he recalls. His son-in-law, also in the house that day, got away with an injury -- a minor miracle given the total destruction visited on the house. "It's a Smerch rocket that did this," Avanessian says, referring to the Soviet-era "Tornado" projectiles that have been falling throughout Karabakh's largest city during the past week of fighting over the ethnic Armenian breakaway territory. "Where will I live now? Under the stars, under the rain? I had everything and now I have nothing left, I can't find anything. Everything's blown apart. The only thing I could find was a suitcase with children's clothes," he laments, showing off the battered, ancient bag. "How can one man do this to another? Aliyev, you say that Karabakh is Azerbaijan. If I live in Azerbaijan, why have you bombed my house?" asks Avanessian. "I built this house to live in peace and they've destroyed it. The Azerbaijanis are bombing civilians. They're murderers, extremists!" Neither does the retired police officer spare Turkey that has encouraged its ally Azerbaijan during the fighting. "A curse on Erdogan!" he tells AFP's reporter and photographer, heaping insults on the Turkish president. "If you were here in front of me, I'd hack you to death with an axe."

In war-hit Karabakh capital, residents inspect destroyed homes

Despite a ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of carrying out new attacks over the Nagorno-Karabakh region as fighting continued between the two sides.

Watch:

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Both warring countries had announced a ceasefire agreement in Moscow after nearly two weeks of fighting which erupted on September 27 over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said: "In disregard of the previously declared humanitarian ceasefire, Azerbaijani forces at 12:05 launched an attack towards Karakhanbeyli," adding,"the Karabakh army is taking measures to repel the attack."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ceasefire-enters-into-force-in-nagorno-karabakh-region-after-moscow-deal-334161">Also Read:&nbsp;Ceasefire enters into force in Nagorno-Karabakh region after Moscow deal</a>

Azerbaijan's defence ministry on the other hand said that shelling had started half an hour after the ceasefire was to come into effect. Russia played a key role in the talks with foreign minister Lavrov ensuring a ceasefire after over 10 hours of negotiations.

However, the loosely knit ceasefire agreement still could not be explained as Lavrov said: "The specific terms of the ceasefire still need to be agreed." Both sides were tight-lipped about the intricacies of the deal which wasn't revealed although the Russian foreign minister added that both countries had agreed on "substantive negotiations" to put an end to decades-long dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan's ally Turkey welcomed the deal calling it "significant first step" but added that it "will not stand for a lasting solution".

"Turkey emphasized that it will support any solution approved by Azerbaijan. Turkey will continue to stand by Azerbaijan in the field and at the table," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Both countries were to halt hostilities by mid-day even as Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said 28 defence officials were killed in action in the last 24 hours. 
&nbsp;

Despite a ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of carrying out new attacks over the Nagorno-Karabakh region as fighting continued between the two sides.

Despite a ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of carrying out new attacks over the Nagorno-Karabakh region as fighting continued between the two sides. Watch: Both warring countries had announced a ceasefire agreement in Moscow after nearly two weeks of fighting which erupted on September 27 over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said: "In disregard of the previously declared humanitarian ceasefire, Azerbaijani forces at 12:05 launched an attack towards Karakhanbeyli," adding,"the Karabakh army is taking measures to repel the attack." Also Read: Ceasefire enters into force in Nagorno-Karabakh region after Moscow deal Azerbaijan's defence ministry on the other hand said that shelling had started half an hour after the ceasefire was to come into effect. Russia played a key role in the talks with foreign minister Lavrov ensuring a ceasefire after over 10 hours of negotiations. However, the loosely knit ceasefire agreement still could not be explained as Lavrov said: "The specific terms of the ceasefire still need to be agreed." Both sides were tight-lipped about the intricacies of the deal which wasn't revealed although the Russian foreign minister added that both countries had agreed on "substantive negotiations" to put an end to decades-long dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan's ally Turkey welcomed the deal calling it "significant first step" but added that it "will not stand for a lasting solution". "Turkey emphasized that it will support any solution approved by Azerbaijan. Turkey will continue to stand by Azerbaijan in the field and at the table," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement. Both countries were to halt hostilities by mid-day even as Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said 28 defence officials were killed in action in the last 24 hours.

After ceasefire, Armenia says Azerbaijan launching attacks towards Karakhanbeyli

A shaky ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh region entered into force on Saturday after a deal was struck in Moscow between Baku and Armenia to allow prisoners and the bodies of the dead to be exchanged.

In a statement in the early hours of Saturday after 10 hours of talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who helped mediate between the two sides, said the ceasefire had been agreed on humanitarian grounds.

It was not immediately clear how long the ceasefire, due to enter into force at midday local time, would last, and there were reports from both sides on Saturday morning of continued fighting.

The Moscow ceasefire talks was the first diplomatic contact between the two sides since fighting over the mountainous enclave, which is internationally-recognised as part of Azerbaijan but is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians, erupted on September&nbsp;27, killing hundreds of people.

"A ceasefire is announced from 12 hours 00 minutes on October 10 on humanitarian grounds," Lavrov said, reading out from a statement.

Lavrov also said Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to start talks on the settlement of the conflict.

Russia's top diplomat added that International Red Cross Committee would act as an intermediary in the humanitarian operation.

"Azerbaijan and Armenia begin substantive negotiations with the purpose of achieving a peaceful settlement as soon as possible," Lavrov told reporters, adding that such talks will be mediated by the Minsk Group of international negotiators.

The mountain enclave belongs to Azerbaijan under international law but broke away in a war as the Soviet Union collapsed and is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians.

The renewed fighting in the decades-old conflict has raised fears of a wider war drawing in Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a defence pact with Armenia.

The clashes have also increased concern about the security of pipelines that carry Azeri oil and gas to Europe.

The fighting is the worst since a 1991-94 war that killed about 30,000 people and ended with a ceasefire that has been violated repeatedly.

Azerbaijan said on Friday that 31 Azeri civilians had been killed and 168 wounded since Sept. 27. It has not disclosed information about military casualties.

Nagorno-Karabakh said 376 of its military personnel and 22 civilians had been killed since the beginning of the conflict.

(with inputs from agencies)

A shaky ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh region entered into force on Saturday after a deal was struck in Moscow between Baku and Armenia to allow prisoners and the bodies of the dead to be exchanged.

A shaky ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh region entered into force on Saturday after a deal was struck in Moscow between Baku and Armenia to allow prisoners and the bodies of the dead to be exchanged. In a statement in the early hours of Saturday after 10 hours of talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who helped mediate between the two sides, said the ceasefire had been agreed on humanitarian grounds. It was not immediately clear how long the ceasefire, due to enter into force at midday local time, would last, and there were reports from both sides on Saturday morning of continued fighting. The Moscow ceasefire talks was the first diplomatic contact between the two sides since fighting over the mountainous enclave, which is internationally-recognised as part of Azerbaijan but is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians, erupted on September 27, killing hundreds of people. "A ceasefire is announced from 12 hours 00 minutes on October 10 on humanitarian grounds," Lavrov said, reading out from a statement. Lavrov also said Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to start talks on the settlement of the conflict. Russia's top diplomat added that International Red Cross Committee would act as an intermediary in the humanitarian operation. "Azerbaijan and Armenia begin substantive negotiations with the purpose of achieving a peaceful settlement as soon as possible," Lavrov told reporters, adding that such talks will be mediated by the Minsk Group of international negotiators. The mountain enclave belongs to Azerbaijan under international law but broke away in a war as the Soviet Union collapsed and is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians. The renewed fighting in the decades-old conflict has raised fears of a wider war drawing in Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a defence pact with Armenia. The clashes have also increased concern about the security of pipelines that carry Azeri oil and gas to Europe. The fighting is the worst since a 1991-94 war that killed about 30,000 people and ended with a ceasefire that has been violated repeatedly. Azerbaijan said on Friday that 31 Azeri civilians had been killed and 168 wounded since Sept. 27. It has not disclosed information about military casualties. Nagorno-Karabakh said 376 of its military personnel and 22 civilians had been killed since the beginning of the conflict. (with inputs from agencies)

Ceasefire enters into force in Nagorno-Karabakh region after Moscow deal

Russia said Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to meet in Moscow for negotiations on ending the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, after President Vladimir Putin called for talks.

"Baku and Yerevan have confirmed their participation in the consultations in Moscow," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP.&nbsp;

"Active preparations are underway," she said, with the talks expected to take place later on Friday and involve the two countries' foreign ministers.

The foreign ministers&nbsp;had&nbsp;been invited early Friday morning to take part in talks in Moscow. “The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are being invited to Moscow on October 9,” Russia President Vladimir Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin.

Putin’s invitation came as there appeared to be no end in sight for nearly two weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and ethic Armenian separatists that has claimed hundreds of lives.

"Following a series of telephone discussions between the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of Russia calls for a halt to military actions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement added.

“The President of Russia is issuing a call to halt the fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh on humanitarian grounds in order to exchange dead bodies and prisoners,” the Kremlin added.

Yerevan had ruled out any talks between the two countries’ top diplomats as long as clashes are ongoing until this morning.

Armenia on Thursday accused Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia said several journalists were injured in strikes on the cathedral after an initial bombardment left rubble strewn across the floor, pews knocked over and a layer of dust coating the interior from parts of the building’s limestone walls that had been hit.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in bitter fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region controlled by Armenians who declared an unrecognised breakaway statelet after the fall of the USSR and emerged victorious from the war that followed.

Hundreds including civilians have been killed in the current fighting, the worst since a 1994 ceasefire, with both sides doubling down on entrenched positions over who should control the region.

Defence officials in Azerbaijan and Armenia said fighting continued into Thursday, with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy losses and accusing the other of shelling civilian areas.

International leaders have repeatedly called for an immediate halt to the fighting but there are no signs yet of the conflict abating.

Turkey’s strong backing for Azerbaijan has sown fears in the West that the conflict could spiral into a full-blown war embroiling Ankara with Moscow, which has a military treaty with Armenia.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the world leaders to denounce the reported deployment of pro-Turkish fighters from Syria and Libya to Karabakh. Iran on Wednesday warned of “terrorists” who had joined the conflict from abroad.

Azerbaijan announced Thursday that it was recalling its ambassador to Athens following reports that Greek citizens were joining Armenian forces in Karabakh.

(with inputs from agencies)

Russia said Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to meet in Moscow for negotiations on ending the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, after President Vladimir Putin called for talks.

Russia said Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to meet in Moscow for negotiations on ending the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, after President Vladimir Putin called for talks. "Baku and Yerevan have confirmed their participation in the consultations in Moscow," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP. "Active preparations are underway," she said, with the talks expected to take place later on Friday and involve the two countries' foreign ministers. The foreign ministers had been invited early Friday morning to take part in talks in Moscow. “The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are being invited to Moscow on October 9,” Russia President Vladimir Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin. Putin’s invitation came as there appeared to be no end in sight for nearly two weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and ethic Armenian separatists that has claimed hundreds of lives. "Following a series of telephone discussions between the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of Russia calls for a halt to military actions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement added. “The President of Russia is issuing a call to halt the fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh on humanitarian grounds in order to exchange dead bodies and prisoners,” the Kremlin added. Yerevan had ruled out any talks between the two countries’ top diplomats as long as clashes are ongoing until this morning. Armenia on Thursday accused Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia said several journalists were injured in strikes on the cathedral after an initial bombardment left rubble strewn across the floor, pews knocked over and a layer of dust coating the interior from parts of the building’s limestone walls that had been hit. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in bitter fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region controlled by Armenians who declared an unrecognised breakaway statelet after the fall of the USSR and emerged victorious from the war that followed. Hundreds including civilians have been killed in the current fighting, the worst since a 1994 ceasefire, with both sides doubling down on entrenched positions over who should control the region. Defence officials in Azerbaijan and Armenia said fighting continued into Thursday, with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy losses and accusing the other of shelling civilian areas. International leaders have repeatedly called for an immediate halt to the fighting but there are no signs yet of the conflict abating. Turkey’s strong backing for Azerbaijan has sown fears in the West that the conflict could spiral into a full-blown war embroiling Ankara with Moscow, which has a military treaty with Armenia. Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the world leaders to denounce the reported deployment of pro-Turkish fighters from Syria and Libya to Karabakh. Iran on Wednesday warned of “terrorists” who had joined the conflict from abroad. Azerbaijan announced Thursday that it was recalling its ambassador to Athens following reports that Greek citizens were joining Armenian forces in Karabakh. (with inputs from agencies)

Armenia and Azerbaijan confirm participation in urgent peace talks in Russia

As talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in Moscow, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said that it was Armenia's "last chance" to secure peace amid fighting over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nagorno-karabakh-conflict-france-accuses-turkey-of-military-involvement-333242">Nagorno-Karabakh</a>.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-france-us-and-russia-meet-on-nagorno-karabakh-seek-ceasefire-334023/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are giving Armenia a chance to settle the conflict peacefully. This is their last chance," Aliyev said in a televised address.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armenia-says-historic-cathedral-in-nagorno-karabakh-hit-as-fighting-continues-with-azerbaijan-forces-333477">Also Read:&nbsp;Armenia says historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh</a>&nbsp;

"The only path towards resolving the issue is the liberation of our territories," President Ilham Aliyev said,adding,"we are winning" on the battlefield, we will get our lands back and restore our territorial integrity."

Meanwhile, Turkey said that peace efforts were bound to fail if the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the enclave wasn't carried out.

"If they're calling only for a ceasefire, if they're working only towards a ceasefire, it will be nothing more than a repeat of what went on for the last 30 years or so," Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said, adding,"it is almost certain to fail if it doesn't also involve a detailed plan to end the occupation."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-nagorno-karabakh-risks-becoming-islamist-militant-stronghold-333038">Russia,</a> France and the United States which are part of the Minsk group have been trying to broker peace between the two warring nations in Moscow.&nbsp;

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar had said earlier, "until the occupation is over, until the terrorists and mercenaries are taken out of there, nobody should expect our Azeri brothers to stop," while siding with Azerbaijan's offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Amid the fighting, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet called for an "urgent ceasefire due to the impact on civilians" as it reminded "all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure."

As talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in Moscow, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said that it was Armenia's "last chance" to secure peace amid fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.

As talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in Moscow, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said that it was Armenia's "last chance" to secure peace amid fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. Watch: "We are giving Armenia a chance to settle the conflict peacefully. This is their last chance," Aliyev said in a televised address. Also Read: Armenia says historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh "The only path towards resolving the issue is the liberation of our territories," President Ilham Aliyev said,adding,"we are winning" on the battlefield, we will get our lands back and restore our territorial integrity." Meanwhile, Turkey said that peace efforts were bound to fail if the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the enclave wasn't carried out. "If they're calling only for a ceasefire, if they're working only towards a ceasefire, it will be nothing more than a repeat of what went on for the last 30 years or so," Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said, adding,"it is almost certain to fail if it doesn't also involve a detailed plan to end the occupation." Russia, France and the United States which are part of the Minsk group have been trying to broker peace between the two warring nations in Moscow. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar had said earlier, "until the occupation is over, until the terrorists and mercenaries are taken out of there, nobody should expect our Azeri brothers to stop," while siding with Azerbaijan's offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh. Amid the fighting, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet called for an "urgent ceasefire due to the impact on civilians" as it reminded "all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure."

'Last chance' for Armenia, says Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev amid peace talks

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Morning news brief: Updates on Trump's health, Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and more

The Libyan Civil war, the war in Syria, the Eastern Mediterranean conflict, and now the Nagorno-Karabakh clashes - Turkey's gunboat diplomacy has raised tensions across all battlegrounds. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more about Erdogan's many wars for world power.

Gravitas: How Turkey fueled four conflicts?

Armenian authorities said a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh was hit as fighting continues with Azerbaijan over the disputed region.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-fighting-continues-in-nagorno-karabakh-333225/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Armenian government said the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Saviour) Cathedral was hit by Azerbaijan forces.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-nagorno-karabakh-risks-becoming-islamist-militant-stronghold-333038">Also Read:&nbsp;Russia warns Nagorno-Karabakh risks becoming Islamist militant stronghold</a>

Heavy shelling continued in Nagorno-Karabakh region even as international mediators were set to meet in Geneva with capital Stepanakert being bombarded.

The fighting has led to the death of at least 300 military personnel with several hundred civilians being killed ever since the conflict started on September 27.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are set to meet officials from Russia, US and France in a bid to halt the conflict which has put a severe strain on both countries.

Russia, France and the US are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group. The three nations are seeking to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan even as the conflict escalates.

Amid the peace effort, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the country's parliament that, "The new aspect is that there is military involvement by Turkey which risks fuelling the internationalisation of the conflict."

The French foreign minister's statement comes after President Macron had said earlier that Turkey had sent Syrian jihadists to fight in the conflict.&nbsp;

Russian President Putin called the conflict a "tragedy" and called for a ceasefire "as quickly as possible".

Armenian authorities said a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh was hit as fighting continues with Azerbaijan over the disputed region. Watch: The Armenian government said the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Saviour) Cathedral was hit by Azerbaijan forces.

Armenian authorities said a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh was hit as fighting continues with Azerbaijan over the disputed region. Watch: The Armenian government said the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Saviour) Cathedral was hit by Azerbaijan forces. Also Read: Russia warns Nagorno-Karabakh risks becoming Islamist militant stronghold Heavy shelling continued in Nagorno-Karabakh region even as international mediators were set to meet in Geneva with capital Stepanakert being bombarded. The fighting has led to the death of at least 300 military personnel with several hundred civilians being killed ever since the conflict started on September 27. Meanwhile, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are set to meet officials from Russia, US and France in a bid to halt the conflict which has put a severe strain on both countries. Russia, France and the US are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group. The three nations are seeking to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan even as the conflict escalates. Amid the peace effort, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the country's parliament that, "The new aspect is that there is military involvement by Turkey which risks fuelling the internationalisation of the conflict." The French foreign minister's statement comes after President Macron had said earlier that Turkey had sent Syrian jihadists to fight in the conflict. Russian President Putin called the conflict a "tragedy" and called for a ceasefire "as quickly as possible".

Armenia says historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh hit as fighting continues with Azerbaijan forces

As heavy fighting continued in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, France accused the Turkish military of involvement in Karabakh.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-fighting-continues-in-nagorno-karabakh-333225/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian while speaking in Parliament said: "The new aspect is that there is military involvement by Turkey which risks fuelling the internationalisation of the conflict."

French President Macron had said earlier that Turkey had sent Syrian jihadists to fight in the conflict.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-nagorno-karabakh-risks-becoming-islamist-militant-stronghold-333038">Also Read:&nbsp;Russia warns Nagorno-Karabakh risks becoming Islamist militant stronghold</a>

Reports said Stepanakert was heavily bombarded even as both Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of targeting civilian areas.

President Putin said that "people are dying, there are heavy losses" as reports said Stepanakert's 50,000 population has fled the city. Azerbaijan has accused Armenian forces of bombarding civilian targets in Ganja as well with the city experiencing shelling amid large scale destruction.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 1,200 fighters have been sent by Turkey even as the Turkey foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that world should back Azerbaijan as the "side of those who are right" while calling Armenia an "occupier".

As the conflict entered its tenth day on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for fighting to stop even as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Iran's foreign minister. Iran which shares it borders Azerbaijan and Armenia is worried over the escalation of conflict as &nbsp;Armenia said Azerbaijan had launched attacks with tanks and artillery on the southern part.

Amid the escalating conflict, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said at least 244 personnel have been killed including 19 civilians.&nbsp;

As heavy fighting continued in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, France accused the Turkish military of involvement in Karabakh.

As heavy fighting continued in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, France accused the Turkish military of involvement in Karabakh. Watch: French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian while speaking in Parliament said: "The new aspect is that there is military involvement by Turkey which risks fuelling the internationalisation of the conflict." French President Macron had said earlier that Turkey had sent Syrian jihadists to fight in the conflict. Also Read: Russia warns Nagorno-Karabakh risks becoming Islamist militant stronghold Reports said Stepanakert was heavily bombarded even as both Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of targeting civilian areas. President Putin said that "people are dying, there are heavy losses" as reports said Stepanakert's 50,000 population has fled the city. Azerbaijan has accused Armenian forces of bombarding civilian targets in Ganja as well with the city experiencing shelling amid large scale destruction. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 1,200 fighters have been sent by Turkey even as the Turkey foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that world should back Azerbaijan as the "side of those who are right" while calling Armenia an "occupier". As the conflict entered its tenth day on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for fighting to stop even as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Iran's foreign minister. Iran which shares it borders Azerbaijan and Armenia is worried over the escalation of conflict as Armenia said Azerbaijan had launched attacks with tanks and artillery on the southern part. Amid the escalating conflict, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said at least 244 personnel have been killed including 19 civilians.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: France accuses Turkey of 'military involvement'

The Kremlin on Tuesday warned that&nbsp;Nagorno-Karabakh can become ''a launch pad for Islamist militants'' if the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict continues.

Moscow expressed alarm after the deadliest fighting in more than 25 years between ethnic Armenian and Azeri forces entered a tenth&nbsp;day.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/armenia-and-azerbaijan-a-decades-long-bloody-rivalry-330840">Armenia and Azerbaijan: A decades-long bloody rivalry</a>

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for fighting to stop and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced "serious concern about the unprecedented escalation" in a phone call with Iran's foreign minister,

Turkey behind 'war'

Earlier,&nbsp;Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said&nbsp;Turkey's "full support" motivated its ally Azerbaijan to reignite fighting in the disputed&nbsp;Nagorno-Karabakh&nbsp;region.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-turkey-sends-syrians-to-fight-proxy-war-gravitas-333004/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"While it is true that the leadership of Azerbaijan has been actively promoting bellicose rhetoric for the last 15 years, now the decision to unleash a war was motivated by Turkey's full support," the 45-year-old premier said. "Without Turkey's active engagement this war would have not begun," he added.

He stressed that the latest fighting is "not simply a new escalation of the Karabakh conflict," a territorial decades-old dispute over the majority ethnic Armenian mountainous region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim Turkic country that is a close ally of Turkey.

The current conflict has seen the "active engagement of terrorist groups from the Middle East in the conflict zone," Pashinyan said, describing the role of Armenian forces as a "counter-terrorism operation."

Turkey has been accused of deploying fighters from Syria to support Azerbaijan in Karabakh. French President Emmanuel Macron claimed that "jihadists" had arrived in the region, accusing Turkey of crossing a "red line".

Armenia also accuses Turkish forces of fighting directly in the region, and Pashinyan said Turkey's F-16 fighter jets were "actively engaged" in the conflict.

Turkey has denied this and no firm evidence has been presented.

The Kremlin on Tuesday warned that Nagorno-Karabakh can become ''a launch pad for Islamist militants'' if the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict continues. Moscow expressed alarm after the deadliest fighting in more than 25 years between ethnic Armenian and Azeri forces entered a tenth day.

The Kremlin on Tuesday warned that Nagorno-Karabakh can become ''a launch pad for Islamist militants'' if the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict continues. Moscow expressed alarm after the deadliest fighting in more than 25 years between ethnic Armenian and Azeri forces entered a tenth day. Also see: Armenia and Azerbaijan: A decades-long bloody rivalry Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for fighting to stop and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced "serious concern about the unprecedented escalation" in a phone call with Iran's foreign minister, Turkey behind 'war' Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Turkey's "full support" motivated its ally Azerbaijan to reignite fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. "While it is true that the leadership of Azerbaijan has been actively promoting bellicose rhetoric for the last 15 years, now the decision to unleash a war was motivated by Turkey's full support," the 45-year-old premier said. "Without Turkey's active engagement this war would have not begun," he added. He stressed that the latest fighting is "not simply a new escalation of the Karabakh conflict," a territorial decades-old dispute over the majority ethnic Armenian mountainous region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim Turkic country that is a close ally of Turkey. The current conflict has seen the "active engagement of terrorist groups from the Middle East in the conflict zone," Pashinyan said, describing the role of Armenian forces as a "counter-terrorism operation." Turkey has been accused of deploying fighters from Syria to support Azerbaijan in Karabakh. French President Emmanuel Macron claimed that "jihadists" had arrived in the region, accusing Turkey of crossing a "red line". Armenia also accuses Turkish forces of fighting directly in the region, and Pashinyan said Turkey's F-16 fighter jets were "actively engaged" in the conflict. Turkey has denied this and no firm evidence has been presented.

Russia warns Nagorno-Karabakh risks becoming Islamist militant stronghold

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that he was sure that Russia would come to the country's defence if necessary amid conflict with Azerbaijan.

WION Dispatch: Fighting continues in Nagorno-Karabakh

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said that the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh could escalate into a full blown regional war if left unchecked.

The ongoing fighting between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces has led to the fiercest battle in the region in over 25 years. During a cabinet meeting, Rouhani added that the conflict was “totally unacceptable”.&nbsp;

He said the same while especially alluding to Iran’s role in the conflict. Iranian media had earlier reported how stray shelling had impacted villages near Iran’s northwestern border. Such mortar bombs and missiles wounded a child and damaged multiple structures.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/un-asks-iran-to-release-political-prisoners-human-rights-activists-332890" hreflang="en">UN asks Iran to release political prisoners, human rights activists</a>

In response to this collateral damage, Iran lodged a formal complaint against Armenia and Azerbaijan on Wednesday, saying one must not violate Iran’s “territorial integrity”. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibzadeh said this in a statement, as reported by local media outlets.

"We must be attentive that the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan does not become a regional war. Peace is the basis of our work and we hope to restore stability to the region in a peaceful way," Rouhani said.

"Our priority is the security of our cities and villages,” he added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/terrorist-cell-trained-by-irans-revolutionary-guards-busted-by-saudi-arabia-331051" hreflang="en">Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia</a>

Additionally, Rouhani claimed that he would not allow Armenia and Azerbaijan, both of which border Iran, to send terrorists to Iran “under various pretexts”.

Fighting began in the region on September 27, and has since then escalated into a major conflict. Under international law, the region belongs to Azerbaijan, but is mostly governed by Armenians.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said that the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh could escalate into a full blown regional war if left unchecked.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said that the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh could escalate into a full blown regional war if left unchecked. The ongoing fighting between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces has led to the fiercest battle in the region in over 25 years. During a cabinet meeting, Rouhani added that the conflict was “totally unacceptable”. He said the same while especially alluding to Iran’s role in the conflict. Iranian media had earlier reported how stray shelling had impacted villages near Iran’s northwestern border. Such mortar bombs and missiles wounded a child and damaged multiple structures. Also read: UN asks Iran to release political prisoners, human rights activists In response to this collateral damage, Iran lodged a formal complaint against Armenia and Azerbaijan on Wednesday, saying one must not violate Iran’s “territorial integrity”. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibzadeh said this in a statement, as reported by local media outlets. "We must be attentive that the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan does not become a regional war. Peace is the basis of our work and we hope to restore stability to the region in a peaceful way," Rouhani said. "Our priority is the security of our cities and villages,” he added. Also read: Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia Additionally, Rouhani claimed that he would not allow Armenia and Azerbaijan, both of which border Iran, to send terrorists to Iran “under various pretexts”. Fighting began in the region on September 27, and has since then escalated into a major conflict. Under international law, the region belongs to Azerbaijan, but is mostly governed by Armenians.

Iran's Rouhani warns of a regional war amid ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia

Azerbaijan has demanded&nbsp;Armenia's&nbsp;withdrawal and apology for intensifying the&nbsp;Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and&nbsp;bombing its second city of Ganja.

Each side accused the other of targeting civilian areas, as the conflict widened a week after heavy fighting broke out in the decades-old dispute over the ethnic-Armenian region.

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Armenia and&nbsp;Azerbaijan&nbsp;have resisted international calls for a ceasefire and clashes have intensified in recent days, with both sides claiming victories on the front and saying they are inflicting heavy losses.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-accuses-armenia-of-bombing-another-city-escalating-conflict-332438" hreflang="en">Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of bombing another city, escalating conflict</a>

In a fiery address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Aliyev said Azeri forces were advancing in a week-long offensive to retake lands that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s.

He said that Armenian forces "must leave our territories, not in words but in deeds,"&nbsp;provide a timetable for a full withdrawal, and recognise the territorial integrity of&nbsp;Azerbaijan.

He said the international community had failed for three decades to enforce UN&nbsp;resolutions or put pressure on Armenia to return Azeri territories.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/armenia-and-azerbaijan-a-decades-long-bloody-rivalry-330840">Armenia and Azerbaijan: A decades-long bloody rivalry</a>

The content and tone of Aliyev's message made clear that Azerbaijan would not entertain calls for an immediate ceasefire, as Russia, the United States and European Union have urged.

Speaking immediately after Aliyev’s speech, Armenian Defence Ministry official Artsrun Hovhannisyan said: "I don't think that there is any risk for Yerevan (the Armenian capital), but anyway we are in war."

The clashes are the worst since the 1990s, when some 30,000 people were killed and are spreading beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. They have raised international concern about stability in the South Caucasus, where pipelines carry Azeri oil and gas to world markets.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greek-hackers-bring-down-over-150-azerbaijani-government-websites-as-sign-of-support-for-armenia-332409">Greek hackers bring down over 150 Azerbaijani government websites as sign of support for Armenia</a>

The conflict threatens to drag in other regional powers as Azerbaijan is supported by Turkey, while Armenia has a defence pact with Russia.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the past week of fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces, including more than 40 civilians.

Earlier on Sunday, Azerbaijan said Armenian forces had fired rockets at its second city of Ganja, killing one civilian and wounding 32, and also launched a missile attack on the Azeri industrial city of Mingachevir. Azerbaijan threatened to retaliate by destroying military targets inside Armenia.

Both Armenia's and the breakaway region's defence ministries said they denied the Azeri claim of the Armenian attack on Mingachevir in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan's ally Turkey accused Armenia of "targeting civilians" in Ganja and reiterated support for its fellow Turkic and Muslim country as "one nation, two states".

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said: "The attacks of Armenia targeting the civilians in Ganja...are a new manifestation of Armenia's unlawful attitude. We condemn these attacks."

Armenia denied it had directed fire "of any kind" towards Azerbaijan. The leader of Nagorno-Karabakh said his forces had targeted a military airbase in Ganja but later stopped firing in order to avoid civilian casualties.

FIGHTING SPREADS

Until now, the main fighting has been between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan, but it now threatens to spill over into a direct war with Armenia itself.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for an immediate ceasefire in a conversation with Armenia's foreign minister and said Moscow was ready to help seek a solution to the conflict via the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Azerbaijan, however, says it has lost patience with the OSCE's failure to resolve the conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh once again came under Azeri bombardment on Sunday and an official there said the civilian death toll over the past week had risen to 18, including casualties in the enclave's capital of Stepanakert and nearby Shushi.

Azerbaijan says it has lost 24 civilians, and Armenia two.

Aliyev said on Twitter his forces had captured the town of Jabrail and several villages in what, if confirmed, would be a significant advance on the southern edge of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan dismissed the claim as "yet another fabrication". Independent verification was not possible.

Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan said his forces would target military units located in the large Azeri cities.

Azerbaijan has demanded Armenia's withdrawal and apology for intensifying the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and bombing its second city of Ganja. Each side accused the other of targeting civilian areas, as the conflict widened a week after heavy fighting broke out in the decades-old dispute over the ethnic-Armenian region.

Azerbaijan has demanded Armenia's withdrawal and apology for intensifying the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and bombing its second city of Ganja. Each side accused the other of targeting civilian areas, as the conflict widened a week after heavy fighting broke out in the decades-old dispute over the ethnic-Armenian region. Armenia and Azerbaijan have resisted international calls for a ceasefire and clashes have intensified in recent days, with both sides claiming victories on the front and saying they are inflicting heavy losses. Also read: Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of bombing another city, escalating conflict In a fiery address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Aliyev said Azeri forces were advancing in a week-long offensive to retake lands that they lost to ethnic Armenians in the 1990s. He said that Armenian forces "must leave our territories, not in words but in deeds," provide a timetable for a full withdrawal, and recognise the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. He said the international community had failed for three decades to enforce UN resolutions or put pressure on Armenia to return Azeri territories. Also see: Armenia and Azerbaijan: A decades-long bloody rivalry The content and tone of Aliyev's message made clear that Azerbaijan would not entertain calls for an immediate ceasefire, as Russia, the United States and European Union have urged. Speaking immediately after Aliyev’s speech, Armenian Defence Ministry official Artsrun Hovhannisyan said: "I don't think that there is any risk for Yerevan (the Armenian capital), but anyway we are in war." The clashes are the worst since the 1990s, when some 30,000 people were killed and are spreading beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. They have raised international concern about stability in the South Caucasus, where pipelines carry Azeri oil and gas to world markets. ALSO READ | Greek hackers bring down over 150 Azerbaijani government websites as sign of support for Armenia The conflict threatens to drag in other regional powers as Azerbaijan is supported by Turkey, while Armenia has a defence pact with Russia. Hundreds of people have been killed in the past week of fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces, including more than 40 civilians. Earlier on Sunday, Azerbaijan said Armenian forces had fired rockets at its second city of Ganja, killing one civilian and wounding 32, and also launched a missile attack on the Azeri industrial city of Mingachevir. Azerbaijan threatened to retaliate by destroying military targets inside Armenia. Both Armenia's and the breakaway region's defence ministries said they denied the Azeri claim of the Armenian attack on Mingachevir in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's ally Turkey accused Armenia of "targeting civilians" in Ganja and reiterated support for its fellow Turkic and Muslim country as "one nation, two states". Turkey's Foreign Ministry said: "The attacks of Armenia targeting the civilians in Ganja...are a new manifestation of Armenia's unlawful attitude. We condemn these attacks." Armenia denied it had directed fire "of any kind" towards Azerbaijan. The leader of Nagorno-Karabakh said his forces had targeted a military airbase in Ganja but later stopped firing in order to avoid civilian casualties. FIGHTING SPREADS Until now, the main fighting has been between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan, but it now threatens to spill over into a direct war with Armenia itself. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for an immediate ceasefire in a conversation with Armenia's foreign minister and said Moscow was ready to help seek a solution to the conflict via the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Azerbaijan, however, says it has lost patience with the OSCE's failure to resolve the conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh once again came under Azeri bombardment on Sunday and an official there said the civilian death toll over the past week had risen to 18, including casualties in the enclave's capital of Stepanakert and nearby Shushi. Azerbaijan says it has lost 24 civilians, and Armenia two. Aliyev said on Twitter his forces had captured the town of Jabrail and several villages in what, if confirmed, would be a significant advance on the southern edge of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan dismissed the claim as "yet another fabrication". Independent verification was not possible. Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan said his forces would target military units located in the large Azeri cities.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan's leader demands Armenian withdrawal and apology

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh amid rising death toll.&nbsp;

Watch:

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Stoltenberg said he expected Azerbaijan ally Turkey to use its "considerable" influence to calm tensions while adding that he was "deeply concerned" over the escalation of hostilities.

France, Russia and the United States had earlier called for an immediate halt to the conflict however the fighting continues.

Amid the raging conflict, Azerbaijan defence ministry said Armenian forces had shelled several towns, including Ganja, Terter, Beylagan and Barda with artillery fire being used in the escalating conflict.

At least 250 people have been killed so far with reports of increasing civilian casualties. The International Committee of the Red Cross criticised the conflict with "indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks" which had hit populated areas, cities and towns.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan President Aliyev said that Armenian forces must leave our territories, not in words but in deeds and provide a timetable for a full withdrawal, apologise to the Azerbaijani people and recognise the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan escalating tension in the region.

"Nagorno-Karabakh is our land. We have to go back there and we are doing it now," Aliyev said, adding, "This is the end. We showed them who we are. We are chasing them like dogs."

Armenia had earlier accused Turkey of sending mercenaries from Syria and Libya to join the fighting.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh amid rising death toll. Watch: Stoltenberg said he expected Azerbaijan ally Turkey to use its "considerable" influence to calm tensions while adding that he was "deeply concerned" over the escalation of hostilities.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh amid rising death toll. Watch: Stoltenberg said he expected Azerbaijan ally Turkey to use its "considerable" influence to calm tensions while adding that he was "deeply concerned" over the escalation of hostilities. France, Russia and the United States had earlier called for an immediate halt to the conflict however the fighting continues. Amid the raging conflict, Azerbaijan defence ministry said Armenian forces had shelled several towns, including Ganja, Terter, Beylagan and Barda with artillery fire being used in the escalating conflict. At least 250 people have been killed so far with reports of increasing civilian casualties. The International Committee of the Red Cross criticised the conflict with "indiscriminate shelling and other alleged unlawful attacks" which had hit populated areas, cities and towns. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan President Aliyev said that Armenian forces must leave our territories, not in words but in deeds and provide a timetable for a full withdrawal, apologise to the Azerbaijani people and recognise the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan escalating tension in the region. "Nagorno-Karabakh is our land. We have to go back there and we are doing it now," Aliyev said, adding, "This is the end. We showed them who we are. We are chasing them like dogs." Armenia had earlier accused Turkey of sending mercenaries from Syria and Libya to join the fighting.

NATO appeals to Azerbaijan ally Turkey to calm tensions amid Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia

Armenia has&nbsp;expressed readiness to work with international mediators to establish a ceasefire with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorny-Karabakh region where fierce fighting entered a sixth day.

Armenia's foreign ministry on Friday said it "stands ready" to engage with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) "to re-establish a ceasefire regime" in Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The Caucasus neighbours have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on Sunday has been the heaviest in decades.

France, Russia and the United States, co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group, set up in 1992 to mediate in the conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians over the mountainous enclave in the South Caucasus, called for an immediate ceasefire on Thursday. But Turkey said the three big powers should have no role in peace moves.

Nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed since Sunday, including more than 30 civilians, and there are fears of the fighting expanding into an all-out, multi-front war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia.

Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities.

Talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement.

(with inputs)

Armenia has expressed readiness to work with international mediators to establish a ceasefire with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorny-Karabakh region where fierce fighting entered a sixth day.

Armenia has expressed readiness to work with international mediators to establish a ceasefire with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorny-Karabakh region where fierce fighting entered a sixth day. Armenia's foreign ministry on Friday said it "stands ready" to engage with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) "to re-establish a ceasefire regime" in Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Caucasus neighbours have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on Sunday has been the heaviest in decades. France, Russia and the United States, co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group, set up in 1992 to mediate in the conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians over the mountainous enclave in the South Caucasus, called for an immediate ceasefire on Thursday. But Turkey said the three big powers should have no role in peace moves. Nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed since Sunday, including more than 30 civilians, and there are fears of the fighting expanding into an all-out, multi-front war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities. Talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. (with inputs)

Armenia says ready to engage with mediators for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region broke out on Sunday in a new eruption of a decades-old conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.

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&nbsp; 
Armenia and Azerbaijan reported further bloodshed on Tuesday, as heavy weaponry was moved to the front lines. 
&nbsp; 
Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its “occupation” of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for it to leave the territory.

&nbsp;

But Russia is not happy. It has urged Turkey to work on bringing an end to deadly clashes

Armenia has even accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, its close ally, a charge Ankara denies.

The Turkish president even said Armenia is the biggest threat to peace in the region.

Turkey conducted joint military drills with Azerbaijan last month. It has also established an army and an air force base within the country to support Azerbaijan.

This aggressive posturing puts Erdogan at odds with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president is already dealing with a full-blown crisis in Belarus.

He is keen to avoid another one in the Caucasus.

And one can simply say Turkey is risking its relationship with Russia for the same reason it triggered the conflict with Greece -- energy, oil and gas.

In 2019, Azerbaijan delivered 9.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Turkey. It was delivered through the South Caucasus pipeline, which is part of a US-backed energy corridor.

The region is also rich in crude oil reserves. &nbsp;

Oil is exported to an energy terminal on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. In short, most of Azerbaijan's energy exports end up in Turkey.

And this fits perfectly into Erdogan's plan of making Turkey a crucial cog in the energy trade between the Caspian sea and Europe.

Most of the pipelines in the region run perilously close to the disputed border.

If Azebaijian takes control of this land, Erdogan would be able to dictate energy exports to Europe.

But that's not all.

Azerbaijan's former president once described the relationship as 'one nation with two states'. Turkey was the first nation to recognise Azerbaijan back in 1991.

Last month, when tensions flared between Greece and Turkey, Azerbaijian was unequivocal in its support for Ankara.

On the other hand, Turkey's relations with Armenia have always been troublesome.

The Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman empire is not something the country will so easily forgive. Armenia claims as many as 1.5 million people were killed or expelled.

Turkey on its part rejects the use of the word 'genocide' for what happened between 1914 and 1923.

Now, by positioning himself with Azerbaijan, Erdogan has put himself in a tight spot.

Most of the world leaders, including Putin, want both sides to stand down.&nbsp;

If Azerbaijan and Armenia do opt for diplomacy, Erdogan's warpath may end up denying him a seat at the negotiating table.

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin. Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region broke out on Sunday in a new eruption of a decades-old conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan reported further bloodshed on Tuesday, as heavy weaponry was moved to the front lines. Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its “occupation” of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for it to leave the territory. But Russia is not happy. It has urged Turkey to work on bringing an end to deadly clashes Armenia has even accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, its close ally, a charge Ankara denies. The Turkish president even said Armenia is the biggest threat to peace in the region. Turkey conducted joint military drills with Azerbaijan last month. It has also established an army and an air force base within the country to support Azerbaijan. This aggressive posturing puts Erdogan at odds with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president is already dealing with a full-blown crisis in Belarus. He is keen to avoid another one in the Caucasus. And one can simply say Turkey is risking its relationship with Russia for the same reason it triggered the conflict with Greece -- energy, oil and gas. In 2019, Azerbaijan delivered 9.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Turkey. It was delivered through the South Caucasus pipeline, which is part of a US-backed energy corridor. The region is also rich in crude oil reserves. Oil is exported to an energy terminal on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. In short, most of Azerbaijan's energy exports end up in Turkey. And this fits perfectly into Erdogan's plan of making Turkey a crucial cog in the energy trade between the Caspian sea and Europe. Most of the pipelines in the region run perilously close to the disputed border. If Azebaijian takes control of this land, Erdogan would be able to dictate energy exports to Europe. But that's not all. Azerbaijan's former president once described the relationship as 'one nation with two states'. Turkey was the first nation to recognise Azerbaijan back in 1991. Last month, when tensions flared between Greece and Turkey, Azerbaijian was unequivocal in its support for Ankara. On the other hand, Turkey's relations with Armenia have always been troublesome. The Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman empire is not something the country will so easily forgive. Armenia claims as many as 1.5 million people were killed or expelled. Turkey on its part rejects the use of the word 'genocide' for what happened between 1914 and 1923. Now, by positioning himself with Azerbaijan, Erdogan has put himself in a tight spot. Most of the world leaders, including Putin, want both sides to stand down. If Azerbaijan and Armenia do opt for diplomacy, Erdogan's warpath may end up denying him a seat at the negotiating table.

Will Erdogan's support to Azerbaijan create conflict between Turkey and Russia?

Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for peace talks and&nbsp;negotiations as fierce clashes over the disputed region of Nagorny-Karabakh spilled over into a fourth day on Wednesday.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with the two sides trading heavy fire and blaming each other for the outbreak of violence. There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new clashes on Wednesday. Officials in both countries have made claims of huge losses for the other side, but these have not been possible to verify.&nbsp;

Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces.

There has been increasing international pressure for a ceasefire, as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into a devastating all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia. But Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that talks with Azerbaijan were not yet on the table.

Russia has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and offered to help with negotiations.

Defence officials in Yerevan on Wednesday accused Turkish jets of performing "provocative flights" along their shared border and of violating Armenia airspace, a day after Yerevan said a Turkish jet had downed one of its warplanes.

Yerevan is claiming that Turkey, a longstanding ally of Azerbaijan, is providing direct military support, including mercenaries, for Baku.&nbsp;It said on Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane, but Ankara and Baku denied the claim.

"It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Pashinyan said.&nbsp;

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also rejected negotiations during an interview with Russian TV on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan has released no information on its military casualties, while the Armenian side has registered 81 deaths. A total of 17 civilians have been reported dead.

Azerbaijan's defence ministry said its troops had "destroyed 130 tanks, 200 artillery units, 25 anti-aircraft units, five ammunition depots, 50 anti-tank units, 55 military vehicles". It said Karabakh's separatist forces had "shelled the city of Terter, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure."

Karabakh's defence ministry, for its part, said Azerbaijani forces "continued artillery shelling" of separatist positions along the frontline on Wednesday morning.

The two sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas, including in areas away from Karabakh.

Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities.

(with inputs)

Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for peace talks and negotiations as fierce clashes over the disputed region of Nagorny-Karabakh spilled over into a fourth day on Wednesday.

Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for peace talks and negotiations as fierce clashes over the disputed region of Nagorny-Karabakh spilled over into a fourth day on Wednesday. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union. The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with the two sides trading heavy fire and blaming each other for the outbreak of violence. There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new clashes on Wednesday. Officials in both countries have made claims of huge losses for the other side, but these have not been possible to verify. Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces. There has been increasing international pressure for a ceasefire, as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into a devastating all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia. But Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that talks with Azerbaijan were not yet on the table. Russia has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and offered to help with negotiations. Defence officials in Yerevan on Wednesday accused Turkish jets of performing "provocative flights" along their shared border and of violating Armenia airspace, a day after Yerevan said a Turkish jet had downed one of its warplanes. Yerevan is claiming that Turkey, a longstanding ally of Azerbaijan, is providing direct military support, including mercenaries, for Baku. It said on Tuesday that a Turkish F-16 flying in support of Baku's forces had downed an Armenian SU-25 warplane, but Ankara and Baku denied the claim. "It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Pashinyan said. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also rejected negotiations during an interview with Russian TV on Tuesday. Azerbaijan has released no information on its military casualties, while the Armenian side has registered 81 deaths. A total of 17 civilians have been reported dead. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said its troops had "destroyed 130 tanks, 200 artillery units, 25 anti-aircraft units, five ammunition depots, 50 anti-tank units, 55 military vehicles". It said Karabakh's separatist forces had "shelled the city of Terter, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure." Karabakh's defence ministry, for its part, said Azerbaijani forces "continued artillery shelling" of separatist positions along the frontline on Wednesday morning. The two sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas, including in areas away from Karabakh. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities. (with inputs)

Armenia and Azerbaijan reject talks as clashes continue for fourth day

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday to cease hostilities as clashes continued over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan but is run by ethnic Armenians and is supported by Armenia. It broke away from Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s, but is not recognised by any country as an independent republic.

Pompeo said during a visit to Crete that he had discussed the clashes in talks earlier with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

"The foreign minister and I addressed the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh where both sides need to stop the violence and work with the Minsk Group co-chairs and return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible," he said.

The Minsk group was set up by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the early 1990s to encourage a resolution to the conflict. It is co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States. 
France also wants Minsk Group talks.

"We will trigger in the coming days a co-ordination of the Minsk Group to clear up what happened, who is responsible and find a way out," an official at President Emmanuel Macron`s office said on Tuesday.

The clashes between Armenian and Azeri forces over Nagorno-Karabakh have increased concern about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets.

Both sides accuse each other of using heavy artillery in this week`s clashes in which dozens of people had been killed and hundreds wounded.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday to cease hostilities as clashes continued over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday to cease hostilities as clashes continued over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region. Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan but is run by ethnic Armenians and is supported by Armenia. It broke away from Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s, but is not recognised by any country as an independent republic. Pompeo said during a visit to Crete that he had discussed the clashes in talks earlier with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. "The foreign minister and I addressed the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh where both sides need to stop the violence and work with the Minsk Group co-chairs and return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible," he said. The Minsk group was set up by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the early 1990s to encourage a resolution to the conflict. It is co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States. France also wants Minsk Group talks. "We will trigger in the coming days a co-ordination of the Minsk Group to clear up what happened, who is responsible and find a way out," an official at President Emmanuel Macron`s office said on Tuesday. The clashes between Armenian and Azeri forces over Nagorno-Karabakh have increased concern about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets. Both sides accuse each other of using heavy artillery in this week`s clashes in which dozens of people had been killed and hundreds wounded.

Pompeo says violence must stop in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Fierce fighting continued to rage between Azerbaijan and Armenia forces on Monday, despite international pleas for a halt in fighting between the longtime enemies.

Talks to resolve the conflict -- one of the worst to emerge from the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union -- have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement.

The heavy fighting broke out on Sunday morning in the region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since 1994 at the end of a separatist war.

Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said heavy fighting had continued early Monday morning and Armenian separatist forces had won back positions taken Sunday by Azerbaijan. But Baku claimed further advances.

Karabakh's defence ministry said 27 fighters were killed in fighting on Monday -- after previously reporting 28 -- bringing their total military losses to 58.&nbsp;

The overall death toll rose to 67 including nine civilian deaths: seven in Azerbaijan and two on the Armenian side.&nbsp;

Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties. Armenian separatist officials, however, released footage showing burnt-out armoured vehicles and the bloodied and charred remains of soldiers in camouflage it said were Azerbaijani troops.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a territorial dispute over the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorny Karabakh for decades, with deadly fighting flaring up earlier this year.

The region declared its independence from Azerbaijan after a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives but is not recognised by any country -- including Armenia -- and is still considered part of Azerbaijan by the international community.

Fighting between Muslim Azerbaijan and majority-Christian Armenia could embroil regional players such as Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia, and Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilisation and General Mais Barkhudarov vowed to "fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win."&nbsp;

Also, with each side blaming the other for the latest fighting, world leaders have urged calm as fears rise of a full-scale conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was monitoring the situation closely and that the current priority was to "stop the hostilities, not to deal with who is right and who is wrong."

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded Armenia end its "occupation" of Karabakh.

"The time has come for the crisis in the region that started with the occupation of Nagorny Karabakh to be put to an end," Erdogan said.&nbsp;

"Now Azerbaijan must take matters into its own hands."

Armenia has accused Turkey of meddling in the conflict and sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan.

A war monitor Monday said Turkey has sent at least 300 proxies from northern Syria to join Azerbaijani forces.

Turkey informed the fighters that they would be tasked with "guarding border regions" in Azerbaijan in return for wages of up to $2,000, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The report comes after the European Union warned regional powers not to interfere in the fighting and condemned a "serious escalation" that threatens regional stability.

In addition to the EU and Russia, France, Germany, Italy and the United States have urged a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Armenian military officials said Azerbaijani forces were continuing to attack rebel positions using heavy artillery, while the latter's defence ministry accused separatist forces of shelling civilian targets in the town of Terter.

Baku claimed to have killed 550 separatist troops, a report denied by Armenia.

Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities.

(with inputs from agencies)

Fierce fighting continued to rage between Azerbaijan and Armenia forces on Monday, despite international pleas for a halt in fighting between the longtime enemies.

Fierce fighting continued to rage between Azerbaijan and Armenia forces on Monday, despite international pleas for a halt in fighting between the longtime enemies. Talks to resolve the conflict -- one of the worst to emerge from the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union -- have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. The heavy fighting broke out on Sunday morning in the region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since 1994 at the end of a separatist war. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said heavy fighting had continued early Monday morning and Armenian separatist forces had won back positions taken Sunday by Azerbaijan. But Baku claimed further advances. Karabakh's defence ministry said 27 fighters were killed in fighting on Monday -- after previously reporting 28 -- bringing their total military losses to 58. The overall death toll rose to 67 including nine civilian deaths: seven in Azerbaijan and two on the Armenian side. Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties. Armenian separatist officials, however, released footage showing burnt-out armoured vehicles and the bloodied and charred remains of soldiers in camouflage it said were Azerbaijani troops. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a territorial dispute over the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorny Karabakh for decades, with deadly fighting flaring up earlier this year. The region declared its independence from Azerbaijan after a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives but is not recognised by any country -- including Armenia -- and is still considered part of Azerbaijan by the international community. Fighting between Muslim Azerbaijan and majority-Christian Armenia could embroil regional players such as Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia, and Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilisation and General Mais Barkhudarov vowed to "fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win." Also, with each side blaming the other for the latest fighting, world leaders have urged calm as fears rise of a full-scale conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was monitoring the situation closely and that the current priority was to "stop the hostilities, not to deal with who is right and who is wrong." But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded Armenia end its "occupation" of Karabakh. "The time has come for the crisis in the region that started with the occupation of Nagorny Karabakh to be put to an end," Erdogan said. "Now Azerbaijan must take matters into its own hands." Armenia has accused Turkey of meddling in the conflict and sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan. A war monitor Monday said Turkey has sent at least 300 proxies from northern Syria to join Azerbaijani forces. Turkey informed the fighters that they would be tasked with "guarding border regions" in Azerbaijan in return for wages of up to $2,000, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The report comes after the European Union warned regional powers not to interfere in the fighting and condemned a "serious escalation" that threatens regional stability. In addition to the EU and Russia, France, Germany, Italy and the United States have urged a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Armenian military officials said Azerbaijani forces were continuing to attack rebel positions using heavy artillery, while the latter's defence ministry accused separatist forces of shelling civilian targets in the town of Terter. Baku claimed to have killed 550 separatist troops, a report denied by Armenia. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities. (with inputs from agencies)

Death toll rises in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict despite calls for peace

Clashes begun between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, with at least one Azerbaijani helicopter shot down.

Clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh region: Massive troops mobilisation underway

Tens of thousands of Armenian opposition supporters rallied on Saturday for a ninth consecutive day to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, but he said the country needed his experience to tackle problems such as Nagorno-Karabakh.

Sarksyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as president. The protesters accuse him of clinging to power and demand that he step down.

"In this region with a complex geopolitics and at a time of new challenges we must ensure the stable development of the country and continue efforts aimed at a suitable settlement of the Karabakh problem," Sarksyan said in an open letter cited by the government's press office.

"I believe these problems can be resolved. After that, other figures can take the helm," he said.

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous part of Azerbaijan, is run by ethnic Armenians who declared independence during a conflict that broke out as the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991.

Though a ceasefire was agreed in 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia still regularly accuse each other of carrying out attacks in the area. The conflict flared up again in 2016 and saw a number of deadly incidents over the past year.

The leader of the protests in Yerevan, opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, said Sarksyan had agreed to talks with the opposition at a hotel in the capital on Sunday morning.

Sarksyan's spokesman was not immediately available to confirm the meeting.

'Say no to Serzh'

As on previous days, the protesters marched through Yerevan on Saturday waving national flags and chanting: "Make a stand, say no to Serzh."

They blocked several streets in the centre and staged sit-ins. Police detained about 200 activists.

Armenia's new president, Armen Sarkissian, an ally of Sarksyan, on Saturday met with Pashinyan, the protest leader, and urged dialogue. Sarkissian was sworn in as president last week after being elected by parliament in March.

On Tuesday, the parliament voted to allow Sarksyan, who served as president of the small ex-Soviet republic from 2008 until this month, to become premier.

Under a revised constitution approved by a referendum in 2015, the prime minister now has the most power in Armenia, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial.

Armenia seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991 but remains dependent on Russia for aid and investment. Many Armenians accuse the government of corruption and mishandling an economy that has struggled to overcome the legacy of central planning.

Tens of thousands of Armenian opposition supporters rallied on Saturday for a ninth consecutive day to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, but he said the country needed his experience to tackle problems such as Nagorno-Karabakh

Tens of thousands of Armenian opposition supporters rallied on Saturday for a ninth consecutive day to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, but he said the country needed his experience to tackle problems such as Nagorno-Karabakh. Sarksyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as president. The protesters accuse him of clinging to power and demand that he step down. "In this region with a complex geopolitics and at a time of new challenges we must ensure the stable development of the country and continue efforts aimed at a suitable settlement of the Karabakh problem," Sarksyan said in an open letter cited by the government's press office. "I believe these problems can be resolved. After that, other figures can take the helm," he said. Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous part of Azerbaijan, is run by ethnic Armenians who declared independence during a conflict that broke out as the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991. Though a ceasefire was agreed in 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia still regularly accuse each other of carrying out attacks in the area. The conflict flared up again in 2016 and saw a number of deadly incidents over the past year. The leader of the protests in Yerevan, opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, said Sarksyan had agreed to talks with the opposition at a hotel in the capital on Sunday morning. Sarksyan's spokesman was not immediately available to confirm the meeting. 'Say no to Serzh' As on previous days, the protesters marched through Yerevan on Saturday waving national flags and chanting: "Make a stand, say no to Serzh." They blocked several streets in the centre and staged sit-ins. Police detained about 200 activists. Armenia's new president, Armen Sarkissian, an ally of Sarksyan, on Saturday met with Pashinyan, the protest leader, and urged dialogue. Sarkissian was sworn in as president last week after being elected by parliament in March. On Tuesday, the parliament voted to allow Sarksyan, who served as president of the small ex-Soviet republic from 2008 until this month, to become premier. Under a revised constitution approved by a referendum in 2015, the prime minister now has the most power in Armenia, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial. Armenia seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991 but remains dependent on Russia for aid and investment. Many Armenians accuse the government of corruption and mishandling an economy that has struggled to overcome the legacy of central planning.

Armenian PM says country needs him as opposition stages 9th day of protests

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