The Nagorno-Karabakh region is at the heart of a decades-long armed standoff between neighbours Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognised as part of Azerbaijan. But the ethnic Armenians who make up the vast majority of the population reject Azerbaijani rule.
Global community have called for ceasefire and have urged Moscow which backs Armenia and Turkey that back Azerbaijan to deescalate the situation in order to avoid a major crisis. The clashes between the two former Soviet republics, which fought a war in the 1990s, were the latest flare-up of a long-running conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region that is inside Azerbaijan but is run by ethnic Armenians.
Conflict in the region began following the breakdown of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and lasted till approximately 1994, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan claiming this strategic territory
Experts say the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been tense since 2018, particularly after Azerbaijan moved troops into the area. In April 2016, the region was particularly tense because of violent fighting between the two countries
About 16 military members and several civilians were killed on Sunday in the heaviest clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan since 2016.
Nagorno-Karabakh said 16 of its servicemen had been killed and more than 100 wounded after Azerbaijan launched an air and artillery attack early on Sunday. Azerbaijan declared martial law, said its forces responded to Armenian shelling and five members of one family had been killed by Armenian shelling.
Amid the ongoing clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday (local time) said that he is concerned with the fresh “resumption of hostilities” between the two countries.
Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesperson M. Ortagus condemned the clashes between the two countries and said: “The US is alarmed by reports of military action along the Line of Contact between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We extend our condolences to the families of those killed and injured. We remain committed to helping the sides achieve a peaceful settlement.”
According to Al Jazeera, Armenia has declared martial law and ordered its military to mobilise after a major “flare-up in violence” with Azerbaijan broke out over the disputed region