Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh is continuing for the eleventh day.

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

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Opinion | We are a generation of war

Opinion | To stand for peace, in spite of everything

Analysis | A dangerous turn in a 30-year conflict

What does the ECHR’s decision on Armenia v Azerbaijan mean?

War in Nagorno-Karabakh triggers mixed reactions among Georgian minorities

 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.

New York Times Visual Investigations: ‘at least two F-16s in Azerbaijan’

Christiaan Triebert, a member of the New York Times Visual Investigations team has just published information corroborating claims that Turkish F-16s are in Azerbaijan. 

‘There are at least two F-16s at Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan’, he writes, citing information as of 3 October. ‘The fighter jets are likely operated by the Turkish Air Force, alongside a possible CN-235 cargo aircraft.

Triebert also notes that at least five Turkish F-16s were filmed at the Ganja airport during the joint TurAz Qartalı-2020 military exercises in late July. 

‘It’s by no means evidence that one of those fighter jets shot down an Armenian Air Force Su-25 on Sept. 29’, he underlines, citing a previous claim made by Armenian authorities. 

French FM: Two discussions planned over the conflict 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said that talks on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh are planned tomorrow in Geneva and on Monday in Moscow, France 24 reports. 

Le Drian reportedly told French lawmakers that representatives of Russia, France, and the US, the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, are in ‘constant contact with each other’ and that he hopes the upcoming talks will lead to resumed negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Greece recalls its ambassador from Azerbaijan

Greece’s Foreign Ministry announced that it has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan after what the Ministry called ‘unsubstantiated and insulting allegations’ by the Azerbaijan government that Greece tolerated the ‘preparation of terrorist action, efforts to recruit terrorist fighters, and cyberattacks from Greek territory on Azerbaijan’. 

As fighting continues Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev wish Putin a happy birthday

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev both called Putin today, reportedly to wish him a happy birthday (he has turned 68) as well as to talk about the ongoing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Under fire in Stepanakert

Civilian settlements on both sides of the war have been under fire over the last eleven days, leading to dozens of deaths. But nowhere has sustained such an intense assault as the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Read more: Under fire in Stepanakert

Armenia: Military fatalities rise to 320

Armenia’s Ministry of Defence reports that 320 soldiers have been killed since the fighting began. Azerbaijan has, as of yet, not published any information about the number of fatalities among their soldiers.

Iran: Baku has apologised for accidental shelling of Iranian territory

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reports that the Deputy Chief of the Iranian police has said Azerbaijan apologised for accidentally firing upon Iran’s territory. 

Yesterday, Tasnim reported that during the fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces several shells landed on Iranian territory near the settlement of  Khoda Afarin, injuring a six-year-old. 

Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami has previously cautioned both sides that Iran will take serious measures the shells fired in the fighting continue to strike Iranian soil. 

Armenia: 280 soldiers have died in fighting so far

Armenian authorities have reported that the number of military fatalities among Armenian forces has risen to 280. Azerbaijan has not yet released any information about the number of deaths among their soldiers.

Bombardment of Stepanakert continues

After reports of shelling throughout the night, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh has reportedly come under renewed fire. The Human Rights Defender of Nagorno-Karabakh, Artak Beglaryan has stated that the city has been struck with ‘suicide drones’ and ‘missiles’. For the moment, there is no information on possible casualties. 

Azerbaijan: Armenia targetted pipeline with cluster munitions

Last night, Azerbaijani Presidential spokesperson Hikmet Hajiyev reported that Armenian forces targetted the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline with cluster munitions. The Armenian Ministry of Defence denied the claim, with spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan stating that Armenian forces ‘are not targeting the oil & gas infrastructure’.  

The previous day, Amnesty International corroborated information that cluster munitions had been used during the bombardment of Stepanakert (Khankandi) by Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia are signatories to the International Convention on Cluster Munitions.