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Civilians Hit Hard After Renewed Fighting In Breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh

Dozens have been reported killed in fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the latest escalation between forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Baku and Yerevan have accused each other of deploying heavy artillery amid international calls for an end to the hostilities.

The clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh are the heaviest seen since 2016 and have reignited concern over stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets.

The long-simmering conflict erupted anew on September 27 into the deadliest bouts of fighting in four years in the ethnic Armenian separatist enclave inside Azerbaijan.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged during the breakup of the Soviet Union, when the region and seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan were seized by Armenian-backed separatists who declared independence amid a 1988-94 conflict that killed at least 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Since a fragile, Russian-brokered truce in 1994, the region has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces that Azerbaijan says include troops supplied by Armenia.

An image grab taken from a video made available on the official website of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on September 28 reportedly shows an Azerbaijani artillery strike toward the positions of Armenian separatists in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
1 An image grab taken from a video made available on the official website of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on September 28 reportedly shows an Azerbaijani artillery strike toward the positions of Armenian separatists in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
A still image from a video released by the Armenian Defense Ministry shows what is said to be an Azerbaijani armored vehicle destroyed by Armenian armed forces.
2 A still image from a video released by the Armenian Defense Ministry shows what is said to be an Azerbaijani armored vehicle destroyed by Armenian armed forces.
A man shows damage from shelling in the city of Tartar, Azerbaijan.
3 A man shows damage from shelling in the city of Tartar, Azerbaijan.
A handout photo released by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows specialists delivering medical support to a civilian man believed to have been injured in the fighting.
4 A handout photo released by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows specialists delivering medical support to a civilian man believed to have been injured in the fighting.
A damaged road in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
5 A damaged road in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
A man stands amid the rubble of a house that locals said was damaged by shelling by Azerbaijani forces in the town of Hadrut in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
6 A man stands amid the rubble of a house that locals said was damaged by shelling by Azerbaijani forces in the town of Hadrut in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
An apartment building in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar said to have been damaged in the shelling
7 An apartment building in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar said to have been damaged in the shelling
A damaged road and buildings in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
8 A damaged road and buildings in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
People watch state TV as they gather in a bomb shelter to protect against shelling in Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh authorities reported that shelling hit Stepanakert and the towns of Martakert and Martuni. (Armenian Foreign Ministry via AP)
9 People watch state TV as they gather in a bomb shelter to protect against shelling in Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh authorities reported that shelling hit Stepanakert and the towns of Martakert and Martuni. (Armenian Foreign Ministry via AP)
A damaged gate on the outskirts of the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
10 A damaged gate on the outskirts of the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
A still image from a video released by Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry shows members of the Azerbaijani armed forces firing artillery in an unidentified location.
11 A still image from a video released by Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry shows members of the Azerbaijani armed forces firing artillery in an unidentified location.
A man points at a kiosk in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar believed to have been damaged in the recent shelling.
12 A man points at a kiosk in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar believed to have been damaged in the recent shelling.
People line up along a roadside to greet Azerbaijani service members in the capital, Baku.
13 People line up along a roadside to greet Azerbaijani service members in the capital, Baku.
A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows destruction after reported fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
14 A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows destruction after reported fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
An unexploded artillery shell on a road on the outskirts of the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
15 An unexploded artillery shell on a road on the outskirts of the Azerbaijani city of Tartar
An Azerbaijani service member in an armored personnel carrier greets well-wishers on a roadside in Baku.
16 An Azerbaijani service member in an armored personnel carrier greets well-wishers on a roadside in Baku.
A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows destruction after reported fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
17 A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows destruction after reported fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
A man looks at damage allegedly caused by Azerbaijani shelling in the city of Martuni in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
18 A man looks at damage allegedly caused by Azerbaijani shelling in the city of Martuni in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows damage reportedly caused by fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.
19 A handout photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry shows damage reportedly caused by fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In this photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, a man holds a spent artillery shell casing.
20 In this photo made available by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, a man holds a spent artillery shell casing.
A view of damage inside a house in the city of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh
21 A view of damage inside a house in the city of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh
People gather in a bomb shelter in Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
22 People gather in a bomb shelter in Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
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