The Azerbaijani Protection Ministry mentioned it misplaced 50 troops in in a single day clashes with ethnic Armenian troops after Yerevan mentioned that a minimum of 49 of its troopers have been killed within the preventing — the deadliest since Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a six-week warfare in 2020 over the breakaway Azerbaijani area of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Fifty Azerbaijani servicemen died because of Armenia’s large-scale provocation,” the Azerbaijani Protection Ministry mentioned in a press release, referring to frame clashes that erupted early on September 13.
Russia mentioned it had brokered a cease-fire between the 2 sides, however Azerbaijan accused ethnic Armenian forces of violating the settlement.
“Regardless of the declaration of a cease-fire since 09:00 (0600 GMT), Armenia is intensively violating the cease-fire alongside the border through the use of artillery and different heavy weapons,” Baku’s army mentioned.
Armenian Protection Ministry spokesman Aram Torosian denied the accusation, calling it “apparent nonsense.” Torosian mentioned the Azerbaijani armed forces had not stopped shelling the positions of ethnic Armenian troops, settlements, and infrastructure “for a single minute.” However he mentioned the shelling in some instructions had considerably weakened.
Earlier, Azerbaijan’s Protection Ministry mentioned that its forces have been responding to Armenian “provocation” and denied claims that they have been hitting civilian infrastructure.
“Azerbaijani armed forces are endeavor restricted and focused steps, neutralizing Armenian firing positions,” it mentioned in a press release.
Azerbaijani International Minister Ceyhun Bayramov spoke by cellphone with Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Azerbaijani International Ministry mentioned.
Lavrov emphasised the necessity to keep away from battle within the area, in addition to the significance of the complete implementation of the declarations signed between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia ending the preventing in 2020.
Armenia appealed earlier to world leaders after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian mentioned Baku had attacked Armenia’s positions in a single day and that preventing was ongoing.
“For the second, we now have 49 (troopers) killed and sadly it isn’t the ultimate determine,” Pashinian informed parliament.
Calls For De-Escalation
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by cellphone with Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. His spokesman mentioned Washington would “push for an instantaneous halt to preventing and a peace settlement” between the neighbors.
Blinken mentioned he informed Aliyev and Pashinian that the preventing was “in nobody’s curiosity” and “urged them to do every little thing attainable to drag again from battle and get again to speaking a couple of lasting peace.”
Blinken mentioned there have been “all the time considerations” about Moscow’s position within the peace course of however added: “If Russia can truly use its personal affect to calm the waters…that might be a constructive factor.”
The Armenian authorities mentioned earlier that it could invoke a cooperation settlement with Moscow and enchantment to the Russian-led Collective Safety Treaty Group (CSTO) — a regional safety bloc — in addition to the United Nations Safety Council.
UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to urgently de-escalate tensions, calling on the 2 sides “to train most restraint and resolve any excellent points by means of dialogue and inside current codecs,” in response to spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
France will increase the clashes on the UN Safety Council, the workplace of President Emmanuel Macron mentioned.
The Kremlin mentioned on September 13 that Russian President Vladimir Putin was doing every little thing he can to assist de-escalate hostilities.
“The president makes each effort to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions on the border. These efforts proceed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed a information briefing.
Requested whether or not Moscow intends to do one thing in reference to Yerevan’s enchantment for assist to the CSTO, Peskov declined to offer particulars.
“I’d not prefer to say extra now. For the reason that work, numerous agreements and so forth, I’d not prefer to announce one thing earlier than the approval course of is accomplished,” Peskov mentioned.
Turkey, Azerbaijan’s conventional ally, blamed Armenia for the newest flare-up, urging Yerevan to “stop provocations” in opposition to Baku.
“Armenia ought to stop its provocations and deal with peace negotiations and cooperation with Azerbaijan,” International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted after a cellphone name with Bayramov.
The CSTO, which incorporates Armenia however not Azerbaijan, met nearly on September 13 to debate the state of affairs.
After the assembly the press service of the Belarusian president reported that the secretary-general of the CSTO might go to the battle zone. The journey was proposed as one of many steps that might be taken instantly to diffuse the state of affairs.
CSTO Secretary-Common Stanislav Zas would use the journey to organize an in depth report. One other proposal would create a working group from the workers of the CSTO Secretariat and the CSTO Joint Headquarters to research the state of affairs and develop proposals, a CSTO assertion mentioned.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP
