Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

While the situation in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region remains tense, the international community expresses serious concern over the renewed hostilities.

The U.S., being a member of the OSCE Minsk Group mediating to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, encouraged Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately restore ceasefire.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden stressed the importance of resolving the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh on the background of worsening crisis.

“As I told Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan, comprehensive settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh is critical for their stability, security, prosperity,” Biden wrote in his Twitter on April 4.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry noted that the country condemns in the strongest terms the large-scale ceasefire violations along the Nagorno-Karabakh, which have resulted in a number of reported casualties, including civilians.

“We extend our condolences to all affected families,” he said. “We urge the sides to show restraint, avoid further escalation, and strictly adhere to the ceasefire. The unstable situation on the ground demonstrates why the sides must enter into an immediate negotiation under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.”

Kerry believes that there is no military solution to the conflict.

“As a co-chair country, the United States is firmly committed to working with the sides to reach a lasting and negotiated peace,” he concluded.

Long-simmering tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared again on April 2 when the Armenian side began to shell the Azerbaijani positions and settlements along the frontline.

To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and repulsed the enemy forces back. Six Armenian tanks, 15 gun mounts and reinforced engineering structures have been destroyed and more than 100 Armenian servicemen were wounded and killed during the shootouts.

Twelve servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces heroically died, one Mi-24 helicopter was shot down and one tank damaged by a mine.

Despite Azerbaijan's decision on unilateral suspension of the counter-attacks and response measures in the territories occupied by Armenia, the Armenian Armed Forces resumed shelling of Azerbaijani positions along the line of contact on the night of April 4, further deteriorating the situation on the contact line.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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