BBC Online :
At least 30 soldiers have been killed in fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, officials of both countries said, each blaming the other for violence.
Azerbaijan said in a statement on Saturday that Armenian forces had killed 12 of its soldiers and shot down a helicopter in the fighting, which broke out overnight.
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian said that 18 of his country’s soldiers had been killed and 35 wounded, not specifying if the soldiers belonged to Yerevan-backed separatist forces in Karabakh or Armenia’s armed forces.
New fighting has been reported overnight between troops from Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The reports say that troops from both sides have used heavy weapons, mortars and artillery.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been in the hands of ethnic-Armenian separatists since a war that ended in 1994.
The defence ministries of Azerbaijan and the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic said the situation along the front line remained tense.
The Azeris said that Armenian soldiers shelled positions of their armed forces along the front lines with the use of heavy weapons, mortars and artillery.
But the Armenian-backed defence ministry in Karabakh also accused Azerbaijan of firing rockets and artillery.
Russia, which has sold arms to both sides, has called for an immediate ceasefire and for both sides to exercise restraint.
On Saturday both sides blamed each other for starting the hostilities.
Armenia said 18 ethnic-Armenian troops died, while Azerbaijan said it had lost 12 troops. The Karabakh defence ministry said a 12-year-old boy had been killed and two other children injured.
Azerbaijan said its armed forces had come under fire first from large-calibre artillery and grenade-launchers, and that it had taken over two strategic hills and a village.
The Armenian government said Azerbaijan had launched a “massive attack” with tanks, artillery and helicopters.
At least 30 soldiers have been killed in fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, officials of both countries said, each blaming the other for violence.
Azerbaijan said in a statement on Saturday that Armenian forces had killed 12 of its soldiers and shot down a helicopter in the fighting, which broke out overnight.
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian said that 18 of his country’s soldiers had been killed and 35 wounded, not specifying if the soldiers belonged to Yerevan-backed separatist forces in Karabakh or Armenia’s armed forces.
New fighting has been reported overnight between troops from Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The reports say that troops from both sides have used heavy weapons, mortars and artillery.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been in the hands of ethnic-Armenian separatists since a war that ended in 1994.
The defence ministries of Azerbaijan and the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic said the situation along the front line remained tense.
The Azeris said that Armenian soldiers shelled positions of their armed forces along the front lines with the use of heavy weapons, mortars and artillery.
But the Armenian-backed defence ministry in Karabakh also accused Azerbaijan of firing rockets and artillery.
Russia, which has sold arms to both sides, has called for an immediate ceasefire and for both sides to exercise restraint.
On Saturday both sides blamed each other for starting the hostilities.
Armenia said 18 ethnic-Armenian troops died, while Azerbaijan said it had lost 12 troops. The Karabakh defence ministry said a 12-year-old boy had been killed and two other children injured.
Azerbaijan said its armed forces had come under fire first from large-calibre artillery and grenade-launchers, and that it had taken over two strategic hills and a village.
The Armenian government said Azerbaijan had launched a “massive attack” with tanks, artillery and helicopters.
