Fierce fighting between Azeri and Armenian forces continue for the third day in a row in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azeri forces on Sept. 27 launched an all-out offensive in the region deemed by Baku as an Azeri province occupied by Armenian separatists. Baku reports the biggest military escalation in years. Both nations have declared a state of martial law and mobilization of military forces.
As of the morning of Sept. 29, heavy clashes continued all along the regional frontline, with the involvement of aircraft and heavy artillery. Azeri forces claim to have regained control of several settlements in the region.
Armenia currently admits that it had at least 84 combat-related military casualties in addition to five civilians killed in hostilities, while Baku deliberately refuses to reveal the operation’s death toll. At the same time, Baku says 10 Azeri civilians were killed.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a breakaway region that is within Azerbaijan yet run by Armenians. As a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh war that started in the late 1980s and lasted for more than six years, it split from Azerbaijan but is still not recognized internationally as an independent republic.
The European Union and other Western nations, and NATO have called upon both sides to halt hostilities.
Meanwhile, Turkey – which historically has supported Azerbaijan – and Russia – which considers Armenia as its client state and deploys troops in its territory – also voiced support towards their respective sides triggering fears of their possible involvement in the conflict.
