The conflict dates back to the collapse of the Soviet Union, when Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan, sparking a violent conflict that ended with a shaky armistice in 1994.
Armenia supported Nagorno Karabakh, which established de facto independence that is not recognized by most of the world. Although it is located within the Azerbaijani lands, the region is inhabited and dominated by the Armenian ethnicity.
Armenia said that the current confrontation between Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held phone talks with his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts on Saturday to stress the need to stop the truce, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Arayk Harutyunyan, the leader of the disputed region, welcomed the new peace efforts, saying in a statement that “the Republic of Artsakh affirms its readiness to observe the humanitarian truce on a mutual basis,” in line with the ceasefire agreements brokered by Moscow on Saturday. Since a week.
Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians call it Artsakh.
Ahead of the latest ceasefire attempt on Saturday, Azerbaijan accused Armenia of launching a missile attack on its second largest city, Ganja, killing at least 13 civilians – including three children – and wounding more than 50 others.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev described the missile strike as “cowardly bombing” that “does not break the will of the Azerbaijani people.”
The attack took place in the early hours of Saturday morning and targeted civilian neighborhoods in the city center, according to a statement issued by the Azerbaijani Prosecutor’s Office.
Azerbaijani presidential advisor Hikmat Hajiyev accused Armenia of using ballistic missiles in the attack and said that the authorities have evidence to support this claim, according to a tweet.
“Let the international community show Armenia’s barbaric actions against civilians,” Hajiyev added.
Video clips and photos purporting to be from the scene of the accident showed rescue workers clearing rubble to reach survivors. The prosecutor’s office said officials were preparing a complete list of victims.
Last weekend, another temporary ceasefire collapsed after weeks of fighting, as the two countries accused each other of violating the accord amid reports of casualties.
France has demanded an “immediate cessation of hostilities” since fighting broke out between the two countries on the morning of September 27.
The short-lived ceasefire came last week after the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, spoke about the suffering the conflict is causing to civilians.
The dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh has flared up hot and cold since the 1994 ceasefire.
The region is located within the territory of Azerbaijan, and is connected to Armenia by an expensive highway. It is heavily militarized and its forces are supported by Armenia, which has a security alliance with Russia.
Tensions have risen since July, when several days of clashes rocked the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Aryn Melikian of CNN, Tim Lister and Arzu Gebula contributed to this report.
