Armenia and Azerbaijan erupt into fighting over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh - 0 views
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Heavy fighting has erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, with both civilians and combatants killed.
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Accusing Azerbaijan of air and artillery attacks, Armenia reported downing helicopters and destroying tanks, and declared martial law.Azerbaijan said it had begun a counter-offensive in response to shelling
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The region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians.
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Martial law has also been declared in some regions of Azerbaijan.
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The conflict in the Caucasus Mountains has remained unresolved for more than three decades, with periodic bouts of fighting.
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Iran, which borders both Azerbaijan and Armenia, offered to broker peace talks.
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an attack on civilian settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the regional capital Stepanakert, began at 08:10 local time (04:10 GMT) on Sunday.
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Armenia's government declared martial law and total military mobilisation,
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Warning that the region was on the brink of a "large-scale war", and accusing Turkey of "aggressive behaviour", he urged the international community to unite to prevent any further destabilisation.
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Azerbaijanis are a predominantly Turkic people with whom Turkey has close ties, although unlike Turks, most Azerbaijanis are Shia, not Sunni, Muslims. Turkey does not have relations with Armenia, a mainly Orthodox Christian country which has historically looked to Russia for support.
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Iran, a mainly Shia state, has a large ethnic Azerbaijani community but maintains good relations with Russia. They and Turkey, a Nato member, back opposing sides in Syria's ongoing civil war.
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the ethnic divisions in Armenia and Azerbaijan have become even starker