Arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan said Saturday fierce clashes had erupted along the front line of Nagorny Karabakh, with Russia urging an immediate ceasefire to end the latest surge of violence over the disputed region.
Armenia’s defense ministry said that “Azerbaijan on Friday night launched a massive attack along the Karabakh frontline using tanks, artillery, and helicopters.” Armenian-backed separatist forces meanwhile claimed to have shot down two Azeri helicopters.
“As a result of the Karabakh army’s counterstrike, Azeri forces were repelled and sustained serious losses in manpower,” a defense ministry statement said. “Heavy fighting is underway.”
Azerbaijan denied an earlier claim that one of its helicopters was brought down.
It insisted its forces were counter-attacking after coming under fire from “large-calibre artillery and grenade-launchers” by the Armenian side.
“Azerbaijani armed forces have immediately undertaken retaliatory measures against Armenian forces,” Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said in a statement, adding that “fighting…
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