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Karabakh’s capital Stepanakert shelled again despite ceasefire

On Saturday evening, a TASS correspondent said about 15 explosions were heard in the city as air raid sirens wailed

STEPANAKERT, October 11. /TASS/. Stepanakert, the capital of the unrecognized republic of Nagorno-Karabakh was shelled early on Sunday, despite the ceasefire that took effect at noon local time on Saturday, a TASS correspondent reported from the city.

In the past hour, about 7-8 projectiles were launched at Stepanakert. Air raid sirens in the city were turned on.

On Saturday evening, a TASS correspondent said about 15 explosions were heard in the city as air raid sirens wailed.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan said it had thwarted Armenia’s offensive in several areas of Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday afternoon.

"In daytime, the adversary attempted to launch an offensive on Hadrut and Jabrayil," the ministry said in a statement.

According to Azerbaijan, Armenian forces sustained serious losses in the hostilities. Two Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, seven howitzers and two trucks with ammunition were destroyed, the Azerbaijani military said.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July. Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts. Both parties to the conflict have reported casualties, among them civilians.

At the talks, brokered by Russia and held in Moscow on October 9, Azerbaijan and Armenia had agreed a ceasefire. It came into effect at 12.00 local time on Saturday, October 10 for humanitarian reasons, for the exchange of detainees and recovery of the bodies of those killed in fighting. Soon after noon the sides traded blame for violating the ceasefire agreement.