Yerevan: Armenia and Azerbaijan kept fighting for the fifth consecutive day over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in the biggest escalation of a decades-old conflict in years that has killed dozens and left scores of others wounded.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces started shelling the town of Tartar on Wednesday morning, damaging “civilian infrastructure” and wounding people, while Armenian military officials reported that Azerbaijani forces were bombing positions of the Nagorno-Karabakh army in the north of the war-torn region.
Map displays Armenia and Azerbaijan's locations. Recent fighting
The fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh erupted Sunday and has continued despite mounting calls for a cease-fire from around the globe. The conflict escalated on Tuesday, with Armenia alleging Turkish involvement and claiming that a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a SU-25 from its air force in Armenian airspace, killing the pilot.
The dispute between the two Eurasian nations. The dispute (Nagorno-Karabakh)
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes along the borders.
Read also: Azerbaijan, Armenia fight intensifies over disputed region
The region lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by its government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war following the breakup of the Soviet Union three years earlier.
An Armenian serviceman fires a cannon towards Azerbaijan positions in the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday. The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), or about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region.
In this image taken from a footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Sunday, Armenian forces destroy Azerbaijani tank at the contact line of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. Casualties
What Azerbaijan says
As many as 2,300 Armenian soldiers have been killed or wounded, and about 130 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 200 artillery and rocket systems, 25 air defence systems, six command and observation posts, five ammunition depots and 55 vehicles destroyed since the outbreak of the conflict, said a statement by the Azerbaijani defence ministry.
As per media reports, the ministry added that one S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of Armenia was destroyed during Tuesday's fighting in the Khojaly region.
What Armenia says
According to the Armenian side a total of 790 Azerbaijani servicemen have been killed and as many as 1,900 soldiers injured, said Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a representative of the country's Defence Ministry, adding that the Armenian army destroyed 137 tanks and armoured vehicles, 72 UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), seven helicopters and one aircraft of the Azerbaijan army during the battles.
Read also: Armenia-Azerbaijan border fighting escalates; 16 killed
Meanwhile, Shushan Stepanyan, a spokesperson of the Armenian Defence Ministry said that heavy artillery fire was still being exchanged along the whole contact line of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces.
Pakistani players
Pakistani soldiers are allegedly fighting alongside the Azerbaijan troops in Agdam, according to a telephonic conversation between two civilians, posted by Free News.am.
During the telephonic conversation, two Azerbaijanis were speaking about the presence of Pakistanis in their territory, according to the Free News.am."How can we write? I don't have money. We are fine, don't worry, 7-8 villages were liberated, don't be afraid," replied the second civilian."Yes. I know. I have seen on Instagram that Fizuli, Agdam have been liberated from occupation. Our side says that we have also taken Mrav mountain. What's wrong with the internet, why doesn't it work?" the first civilian stated. The second civilian replied saying, our ministry has turned it off. As a lot of things happen here, people get in touch with Armenians, that's why they have turned it off.
The first civilian asked if shooting is taking place in another civilian's area.
To which the second civilian replied, "On Agdam's side. They have gathered Pakistani soldiers and have taken them towards Agdam."
The Turkey factor
Armenian officials alleged that Turkish drones and F-16 fighter jets were being used. Turkey has denied supplying Azerbaijan with arms, and Azerbaijan said it didn't have any F-16 jets.
Turkey, which has been vocal about siding with Azerbaijan in the dispute, denied those claims, and so did Azerbaijan.
However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that if Azerbaijan requests assistance, Ankara will provide it.
Global leaders urge restraint
European officials are seeking to bring the opposing sides to the negotiating table.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on Wednesday at a news conference in Riga, Latvia, called for talks between France, Russia and the United States — the three countries co-chair the Minsk group, set up in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the conflict — to mediate.
With inputs from agencies
