What we know so far
- 49 Armenian soldiers have been killed in action and three civilians injured just yesterday as Azerbaijan began to shell civilians within Armenia – targeting the border cities of Goris, Kapan, Vardenis, among others.
- Fighting has raged along parts of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border since just after late Monday night (Tuesday morning).
- In one of the towns, Goris, CivilNet correspondents Armine Simonyan and Levon Hakobyan said they began hearing artillery shelling around 12:30 a.m., adding that falling shells had apparently set nearby fields on fire.
- The line of contact between Karabakh Armenian and Azerbaijani troops remains relatively stable.
- Despite this, authorities in Artsakh announced that the interstate road between Stepanakert and Yerevan is too close to the locations of ongoing military operations and urged the public to travel only in case of “extreme necessity.” In a statement
- A statement released by the U.S. State Department hours ago said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke overnight with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “to express deep concern over military action along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including shelling in Armenia. Secretary Blinken urged President Aliyev to cease hostilities and stressed that the United States would push for an immediate halt to fighting and a peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
- France has said it will raise Tuesday’s attack on Armenia by Azerbaijan at the United Nations Security Council.
- In a statement referring to today’s escalation on Armenia’s eastern border, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry denied the attack and implied that the presence of the Armenian Defense Army in Arstakh (Karabakh) is the reason for the violence.
AS OF 9PM LOCAL TIME TUESDAY, FIGHTING ALONG THE ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN BORDER IS CONTINUING
(map: courtesy of Kooyrigs)