All- out war tensions are rising

NATO ALLIES France and Turkey traded angry recriminations yesterday as international tensions mounted over the fiercest clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces since the mid- 1990s.

On the fourth day of fighting, Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno- Karabakh accused each other of shelling along the line of contact that divides them.

Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded in fighting since Sunday that has spread far beyond the enclave’s borders, threatening to spill over into all- out war between the former Soviet republics.

The skirmishes have raised concerns about stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets, and raised fears that regional powers Russia and Turkey could be drawn in.

Some of Turkey’s Nato allies are alarmed by Ankara’s stance on Nagorno- Karabakh, a breakaway region inside Turkey’s close ally Azerbaijan that is run by ethnic Armenians, but is not recognised by any country as an independent republic.

Echoing remarks by President Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey would “do what is necessary” when asked whether Ankara would offer military support if Azerbaijan requested it.

Cavusoglu also said French solidarity with Armenia amounted to supporting Armenian occupation in Azerbaijan.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is home to many people of Armenian ancestry, hit back during a visit to Latvia. He said France was extremely concerned by “warlike messages” from Turkey “which essentially remove any of Azerbaijan’s inhibitions in reconquering Nagorno- Karabakh. That we won’t accept”, he said.

Armenian media said yesterday three civilians had been killed and several wounded by shelling in the town of Martakert in Nagorno- Karabakh.

Azerbaijan said 14 Azeri civilians had been killed since fighting began on Sunday.

Armenia’s unified information centre, an online governmental platform, posted pictures of the wreckage of what it said was a SU- 25 warplane shot down by a Turkish fighter jet on Tuesday.

Turkey denied downing the plane. A senior Azeri official accused Armenia of lying and said two Armenian SU- 25s had crashed into a mountain.