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Baku says tension persists in some sections of frontline in Nagorno-Karabakh

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27

BAKU, October 13. /TASS/. The situation in some sections of the frontline in the conflict zone around Nagorno-Karabakh remains tense, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"The general situation in the Agdere-Agdam and the Fizuli-Hadrut directions of the front remained tense overnight into October 13," the report said.

"Units of the Armenian armed forces <…> attempted to attack the Azerbaijani army’s positions in some directions in small groups," the ministry said.

It added that that Azerbaijani units had destroyed a large number of enemy equipment, including three BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers, one Tor-M2KM air defense missile system, a Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and three drones. "The Azerbaijani army observes the humanitarian ceasefire and maintains an operational advantage along the entire frontline," the Defense Ministry said.

At the talks held at Russia’s initiative in Moscow, Baku and Yerevan agreed on a humanitarian ceasefire, which came into effect at 12:00 local time (11:00 Moscow time) on October 10 in order to exchange detainees and the bodies of those killed in the fighting. Either side accuses the other of violations.

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.

Baku and Yerevan have disputed sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh since February 1988, when the region declared secession from the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic. In the armed conflict of 1992-1994 Azerbaijan lost control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjoining districts.