Karabakh clashes: Azerbaijan denies 'foreign fighter' claims, Armenia urges Germany to 'curb Turkey's stance'

Photos: Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan

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Intense clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline are continuing on the third day, according to statements by both countries' defense ministries.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry stated early today (September 29) that Armenia's forces attempted to take back the positions they lost in the Fuzuli-Jabrayil and Agdere-Terter border regions but failed after retaliatory fire from Azerbaijan's troops, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

Azerbaijan's jets and troops destroyed a convoy of Armenia's armored vehicles setting off from the Madagiz village, the statement added.

Officials from Armenia's Defense Ministry stated that a helicopter and several armored vehicles of Azerbaijan were hit, news.am reported, citing Facebook posts from officials.

Also, Azerbaijan launched an attack on Armenia's Vardenis region, according to news.am. 

Both sides have announced dozens of military and civilian casualties so far.

The EU, Russia and NATO, among others, have urged an immediate halt to clashes along the frontier.

UNSC to hold an emergency meeting

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will reportedly hold an emergency meeting today on the ongoing clashes, upon a call by France, Germany and the UK.

A declaration is expected to be released after the meeting.

Merkel spoke with leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, spoke on the phone with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the recently escalated conflict, and called for a peaceful solution, the country's government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on Twitter.

"The Chancellor has underlined the urgent need for an immediate cease-fire and return to the negotiation table," Seibert said, adding that Germany supports diplomatic efforts of OSCE Minsk Group.

"The neighboring countries should contribute to a peaceful solution," he said.

In a statement on Twitter, the Government of Armenia said that Pashinyan urged Merkel to "make every effort to curb Turkey's destabilizing stance."

Turkey and Germany discussed the crisis

Turkey's Minister of Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu discussed the crisis today in a phone call with his counterpart from Germany, Heiko Maas.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara following his visit to Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Turkey, Çavuşoğlu reiterated Turkey's full support to Azerbaijan.

"We, as Turkey, always stand with brotherly Azerbaijan as they always side with Turkey," he said, adding that they are determined to solve the dispute completely.

Referring to international organizations' decisions on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Cavusoglu criticized the parties including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) overtaking no concrete steps towards solving the problem.

Azerbaijan denied "foreign fighter" claims

Azerbaijan has denied the claims that Turkey has sent as many as 4,000 Syrian fighters to the region. Hikmet Hacıyev, the foreign policy aide of President Ilham Aliyev, said that the claims were "a provocation by Armenia and total nonsense."

Reuters reported yesterday that Turkey sent fighters from the Syrian National Army (SNA) to Azerbaijan, citing two members of the group. 

The Syrian Observatory on Human Rights (SOHR) also told The Guardian that Turkey was preparing to send fighters of the SNA, which it has been supporting, to the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline. 

After reports, Armenia's Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan said that they might invoke a defense pact with Russia under the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

"We believe that should the need arise, we will request Russia [for additional military assistance] ... As of today, we don't think that we need additional troops or other forces," Toganyan said, the EU Observer reported. 

Armenia applies to ECtHR

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) stated yesterday that it received a request for interim measures by Armenia against Azerbaijan. 

Armenia requested the ECtHR to indicate to the Azerbaijani Government "to cease the military attacks towards the civilian settlements along the entire line of contact of the armed forces of Armenia and Artsakh, to stop indiscriminate attacks, to stop targeting the civilian population, civilian objects and settlements," according to the court's statement.

"Under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, the Court may indicate interim measures to any State Party to the European Convention on Human Rights. Interim measures are urgent measures which, according to the Court's well-established practice, apply only where there is an imminent risk of irreparable harm," the ECtHR stated.

Meanwhile, Armenia reportedly banned men over 18 years of age to leave the country as part of military mobilization. (PT/VK)