Toll rises as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict widens

Baku, Sep 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces entered its 4th day on Wednesday, with fresh casualties reported in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

As many as 2,300 Armenian soldiers have been killed or wounded, and about 130 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 200 artillery and rocket systems, 25 air defence systems, six command and observation posts, five ammunition depots and 55 vehicles destroyed since the outbreak of the conflict, said a statement by the Azerbaijani Defence ministry.

As per media reports, the ministry added that one S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of Armenia was destroyed during Tuesday's fighting in the Khojaly region.

On the other hand, according to the Armenian side a total of 790 Azerbaijani servicemen have been killed and as many as 1,900 soldiers injured, said Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a representative of the country's Defence Ministry, adding that the Armenian army destroyed 137 tanks and armoured vehicles, 72 UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), seven helicopters and one aircraft of the Azerbaijan army during the battles.

Meanwhile, Shushan Stepanyan, a spokesperson of the Armenian Defence ministry said that heavy artillery fire was still being exchanged along the whole contact line of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces.

On Sunday morning, fresh clashes broke out along the contact line.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes along the borders.

Source: IANS