Despite growing international calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijan continued military attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh overnight and Wednesday morning, authorities in Stepanakert said.
The Karabakh Defence Army reported continued Azerbaijani attacks and shelling of its positions along the Karabakh “line of contact”. The army said that its troops were fighting back “hard”.
There also appear regular reports of shelling of Stepanakert and other Karabakh settlements by Azerbaijan. Most residents of Stepanakert were forced to hide from shelling in bomb shelters all night.
The Azerbaijani military said, meanwhile, that its offensive is “continuing successfully.” It claimed late on Tuesday to have captured dozens of Karabakh Armenian frontline positions.
Russia and Western countries urged Baku to halt the offensive hours after it began early Tuesday afternoon. According to the US State Department, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev assured Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he was ready to “cease hostilities” and meet with Karabakh representatives.
Azerbaijan՛s Armed Forces unleashed a military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, use artillery and other heavy weapons as of 1 p.m. on September 19. They attempted to penetrate into the depth of the defence line of the Defence Forces of Nagorno-Karabakh.
