The dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the control of Nagorno-Karabakh dates back to the late 1980s. More than 200 soldiers have been killed in this week’s clashes.
According to Armenia, 135 of its soldiers have died in border clashes with Azerbaijan.
The Prime Minister of Armenia told about it Nikol Pashnyan on Friday. Earlier, Armenia had said that 105 soldiers had died in the fighting.
Azerbaijan says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in this week’s clashes.
It is believed that the death toll will still rise in both countries.
The parties have accused each other of starting the fighting. Clashes between the countries started on Tuesday. On the same day, Russia said it had negotiated a ceasefire between the two countries. However, the ceasefire was quickly broken, and clashes continued.
A new ceasefire between the countries came into effect late Wednesday night. This ceasefire seems to have lasted.
According to Armenian Prime Minister Pashnyan, the situation in the border region is still tense. In addition to the casualties, hundreds of Armenian civilians have had to flee their homes in the border region.
This week’s clashes the worst in a couple of years
The fresh fighting has been the worst between the two countries since the fall 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, in which more than 6,700 people died.
The war ended with a cease-fire agreement brokered by Russia, in which Armenia had to yield to territorial concessions. As part of the agreement, Russia sent peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia and Azerbaijan also fought in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the 1990s.
Read more about the background of the conflict:
Why the war over Nagorno-Karabakh continues for decades – here are five answers to core questions and two special facts (October 20, 2020)