Deadly Clashes Erupt Along Armenia-Azerbaijan Border; US Calls For An End To Hostilities

In a resumption of decades-old hostilities, deadly clashes broke out at the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia on Tuesday with reports of intense fire exchange between the arch-enemies. Both nations blamed each other for the latest round of clashes.

Armenia said 49 soldiers were killed in the attacks. Tuesday's incidents mark the latest flare-up between the former Soviet republics, who fought a war in 2020 over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region. There have been frequent reports of fighting along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border since then.

Both countries blamed each other for the latest flare-up. While the Armenian defense ministry said Azerbaijan launched "intense firing" toward the cities of Goris, Sotk and Jermuk, the latter accused its neighbor of "large-scale provocations" near the districts of Dashkesan, Kelbajar and Lachin on the border.

"On September 13, at 00:05, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened intense fire in the direction of the cities of Goris, Sotk and Jermuk using artillery, large-caliber and small arms. The positions of the Armenian Armed Forces were shelled," the Armenian defense ministry said in a statement, adding the troops also used drones to carry out the attacks, Russian news agency TASS reported.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry also reported casualties. In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said: "On September 12, 2022, starting at late night, the units of the armed forces of Armenia held large-scale provocations in the directions of Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin of Azerbaijan-Armenia state border."

"Sabotage groups of the armed forces of Armenia using the mountainous relief of the area and existing valley gaps carried out planting landmines on the areas between the positions of the units of Azerbaijan's army and the supply roads in different directions. As a result, there are casualties among the personnel of our armed forces, damage was inflicted to the military infrastructure," the statement read.

Following the clashes, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the situation.

"The Prime Minister gave details about the provocative, aggressive actions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the direction of the sovereign territory of Armenia, which began at midnight and were accompanied by shelling from artillery and large-caliber firearms. The Prime Minister considered the actions of the Azerbaijani side unacceptable and stressed the importance of an adequate response from the international community," a statement from the Armenian cabinet regarding the call between Pashinyan and Putin read, TASS reported.

The U.S. said it was deeply concerned about reports of the attacks, with Secretary Blinken calling for "an end to any military hostilities immediately."

Conflicts between the two countries first broke out in the late1980s when both sides were under Soviet rule. Armenian forces had captured the territory near Nagorno-Karabakh. The area, which has a large Armenian population, was recognized internationally as Azerbaijan's territory. Azerbaijan regained the territory in 2020 following intense fighting, which ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire deal.

At EU-mediated talks in Brussels in May and April, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pashinyan agreed to "advance discussions" on a future peace treaty.

Moscow has strong ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia has been selling weapons to both countries, which were part of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) till Azerbaijan withdrew from it in 1999.

Russia continues to have a military base in Armenia. Following Tuesday's clashes, Armenia and Russia agreed on joint steps to stabilize the situation along the border.