Ceasefire announced after at least 30 soldiers killed in Caucasus clashes

A ceasefire has been announced after at least 30 soldiers were killed in clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region. News agency AFP reported that Azerbaijan announced the “unilateral” ceasefire in Karabakh on Sunday morning. It added, however, that it would “liberate all (Armenian) occupied territories” if Armenian forces “do not stop provocations”. But David Babayan, spokesman of the Armenia-backed separatist presidency in Karabakh, said fighting was continuing.

Azerbaijan, showing good will, has decided to unilaterally cease hostilities.

Azerbaijan defence ministry

Armenian defence ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan also dismissed the the ceasefire claim as a “trap that does not mean a truce”. Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian had earlier described the bloodshed as the “largest-scale hostilities” since a 1994 truce ended a war in which Armenian-backed fighters seized the territory from Azerbaijan. He said 18 Armenian troops were killed and some 35 wounded in the fighting. Azerbaijan said 12 of its soldiers were killed and one of its military helicopters was shot down. Moscow and Western leaders had been among those calling for the ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin had urged the two former Soviet states to “exercise restraint in order to prevent further casualties”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

CAUCASUS