Azerbaijani’s army closes in on crucial town

YEREVAN, Armenia — The Azerbaijani army closed in Thursday on a key town in Nagorno Karabakh following more than a month of intense fighting, while top diplomats from Azerbaijan and Armenia prepared for more talks to try to end their long conflict over the separatist territory.

Nagorno Karabakh’s separatist leader, Arayik Harutyunyan, said Azerbaijani troops had advanced to within 3 miles of the strategically located town of Shushi. He urged residents to mobilize all their resources to fend off the attack.

“The one who controls Shushi controls Nagorno Karabakh,” Harutyunyan said in a video address from the town’s cathedral, which was severely damaged by Azerbaijani shelling this month. “We must realize that and take part in defending Shushi. We must reverse the situation.”

Shushi is located about 3 miles south of Nagorno Karabakh’s regional capital, Stepanakert.

Nagorno Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a war there ended in 1994.

The latest fighting began Sept. 27 and has involved heavy artillery, rockets and drones, in the largest escalation of hostilities over the separatist region in the quartercentury since the war ended. Hundreds and possibly thousands of people have been killed in a little over a month.

Separatist authorities of Nagorno Karabakh accused Azerbaijani forces Thursday of shelling Stepanakert, Shushi and Martakert with Smerch multiple rocket systems, a devastating Soviet designed weapon intended to ravage wide areas with explosives and cluster munitions. Martakert was also raided by Azerbaijani aircraft, officials said.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry denied using aviation and accused Armenian forces of shelling the Terter, Goranboy and Barda regions of Azerbaijan. One civilian was killed in the Goranboy region, according to an Azerbaijan official.

The ministry also reported downing two Armenian Su25 warplanes, a claim Armenian officials rejected.

According to Nagorno Karabakh officials, 1,166 of their troops and 39 civilians have been killed in the clashes so far. Azerbaijani authorities haven’t disclosed their military losses, but say the fighting has killed at least 90 civilians and wounded 392.

The hostilities have raged for a fifth week despite three attempts at establishing a ceasefire.

Ivor Prickett / New York Times Rovshen Iskandarova ( center) helps carry the coffin of his 7yearold daughter, Aysu, who was killed the day before in an Armenian rocket attack in the village of Qarayusifli, Azerbaijan.