Less than an hour after the noon ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan came into effect, fighting between the two countries erupted again. 

Both sides have accused the other of launching new attacks, and breaking the ceasefire.

Armenia reports that villages near the southern town of Kapan have been hit by Azerbaijani fire, leaving at least one person dead. Shelling has been reported on both sides of the line of contact, and both Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire. 

The ‘humanitarian’ ceasefire, meant for the exchange of bodies and prisoners of war — but also intended to transform into a longer peace process —  was brokered in three way negotiations between the Russian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in a marathon session last night in Moscow. 

[The news as it happened: 27 September, 28 September, 29 September, 30 September, 1 October, 2 October, 3 October, 4 October, 5 October, 6 October, 7 October, 8 October, and 9 October]

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Under fire in Stepanakert

 For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.

CSTO head criticises Turkish involvement 

The Secretary General of the Russian led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Stanislav Zas, has criticised Turkish involvement in the conflict in an interview with Russia Today.

‘The CSTO does not welcome the intervention of third countries in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict if they operate outside the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group’, Zas said.

‘The expansion of the participants in these events is not in the interests of resolving the situation and de-escalating the conflict. If Turkey's activities go beyond the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group, we certainly do not welcome it.’

Lavrov calls Armenian and Azerbaijni counterparts

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire agreement.

Despite the call, reports of clashes have continued.

Hajiyev: Azerbaijan expects a more active role for Turkey in negotiations

In a briefing today, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev has said that Azerbaijan expects Turkey to have a more active role in the negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh. He stated that this may be either within the format of the OSCE Minsk Group or outside of it. 

Mnatsakanyan: Nagorno-Karabakh should ‘decide its own fate’

Speaking to reporters today, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said that in the negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh the physical security and right to self-determination of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh must remain respected.

Hikmet Hajiyev: ‘the ceasefire has not yet begun’

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan has said in a briefing today that he considers the ceasefire agreed upon last night and that officially came into force at noon, to not have started yet. As of yet, he said, the proper conditions for the ceasefire were not in place. 

Aliyev: 'The military part, or its first part, has come to an end'

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the Russian outlet RBK on Saturday, that the ‘military phase, or perhaps the first part of the military phase’  of the conflict is over, and that a political settlement has been reached that will ensure that Azerbaijan gets 'what is rightfully ours'. 

RBK writes that in the interview, which will air in full tomorrow, Aliyev said that the main factor for strengthening the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh is for Armenia to accept that 'these territories belong to Azerbaijan'. 

Turkey to stand by Azerbaijan 'on the ground and at the table'

Following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, Turkey's Foreign Ministry released a statement describing it as an important step, but not one that could 'replace a lasting solution'. 

‘Since the beginning, Turkey has always underlined that it would only support those solutions which were acceptable to Azerbaijan. With this understanding, Turkey will continue to stand by brotherly Azerbaijan on the ground and at the (negotiating) table’, the statement reads.