Nagorno- Karabakh: Armenia- Azerbaijan truce broken minutes after deal

ARMENIA and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating a humanitarian ceasefire in the disputed region of Nagorno- Karabakh.

But an Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman said Azerbaijan broke the ceasefire after just four minutes by firing artillery shells and rockets.

Azerbaijan later said Armenia had broken the truce after two minutes.

Both countries signed a Russian- brokered ceasefire last Saturday. However, clashes continued despite that accord.

Fighting flared last month over the territory, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but run by ethnic Armenians. Hundreds have died.

This is the worst violence in the region since a six- year war over the territory ended with a ceasefire in 1994.

Earlier on Saturday, both nations continued to trade accusations over violations of the Russian- brokered truce agreed last weekend and doubts are likely to remain following the latest statements.

Both nations confirmed the humanitarian truce, although few other details were given.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the decision was based on statements by the presidents of the U. S., France and Russia, representing the OSCE Minsk Group - a body set up in 1992 and chaired by the three countries to mediate the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict.

Anna Naghdalyan, spokesperson for Armenia’s foreign ministry carried the same statement in a tweet, adding it welcomed efforts towards a “ceasefire and deescalation of tension” in the conflict zone.