YEREVAN, September 27. /TASS/. The authorities of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on Sunday imposed martial law due to the escalation of the situation on the line of contact with Azerbaijan. According to the information of the Armenian news channels, President of the unrecognized republic Arayik Harutyunyan said this in Stepanakert.

"We started mobilizing all citizens above the age of 18. Martial law is declared in the country," he said.

On Sunday morning, Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan said that Armenia began intensive shelling on the positions of the Azerbaijani army and settlements, with reported casualties and wounded among the civilian population. In turn, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Azerbaijani armed forces launched an offensive in the direction of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between Baku and Yerevan began in February 1988, when the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its secession from the Azerbaijan SSR. During the conflict of 1992-1994, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. Since 1992, negotiations have been held on a peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, chaired by Russia, the United States, and France.