US expresses concern over escalation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

WASHINGTON: The United States has expressed deep concern over reports of intensive fighting around Nagorno-Karabakh, including casualties and the loss of life and has urged immediate steps to reduce tensions and avoid further escalation. "The recent increase in tensions underscores the need for a negotiated, comprehensive, and sustainable settlement of all remaining issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the US State Department said.

Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan with Armenian support after a bloody post-Soviet conflict in the early 1990s. In 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a war over the region and Baku successfully won back part of the territory controlled by the separatists. Under the terms of a subsequent ceasefire, Russian peacekeepers were deployed to protect the remainder of the separatist-held territory. Both sides accuse each other of breaches, and in recent days violence has flared.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces breached the ceasefire in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in the area of the height of Sarybaba, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a report on the activities of Russian peacekeepers of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The situation in the zone of responsibility of the contingent is aggravated. In the area of the height of Sarybaba, the ceasefire regime was breached by the armed forces of Azerbaijan."

"The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, together with representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides, is taking measures to stabilize the situation," the ministry said. The Azerbaijani military captured several heights in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday, the Defence Ministry's press office told Sputnik.

According to the ministry, Armenian soldiers committed sabotage against the Azerbaijani military in violation of trilateral agreements between Baku, Yerevan and Moscow. "As a result of the response operation carried out by the units of the Azerbaijan military, several heights in Karabakh were taken under control," the office said.