Azerbaijan warns Armenia against hitting gas pipelines
09:45 GMT -Russia disagrees with Turkey’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian foreign minister says
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow disagreed with Turkey’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and that a military solution was unacceptable.
“We do not agree with the position voiced by Turkey, that was also expressed several times by (Azeri) President Aliyev,” Lavrov said in an interview with local radio stations. “It is not a secret that we cannot agree with a statement that a military solution to the conflict is permissible.”
08:51 GMT – Azeri president warns Armenia against any moves on gas pipelines
Also in the Haberturk interview, Aliyev sent a warning to Armenia over its pipelines.
“Armenia is trying to attack and take control of our pipelines,” Aliyev said. “If Armenia tries to take control of the pipelines there, I can say that the outcome will be severe for them.”
The international community is concerned about the prospect of war because Nagorno-Karabakh serves as a corridor for pipelines taking oil and gas to world markets.
08:48 GMT – Azeri leader says Turkish F-16 jets in Azerbaijan but not being used
In an interview with Turkish broadcaster Haberturk on Wednesday. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Turkish F-16 jets were in Azerbaijan, but that they were not being used in the conflict.
Aliyev also said Ankara, his closest ally, should be involved in talks on the breakaway region and that the conflict cannot be solved without Ankara’s involvement.
08:30 GMT -Azerbaijan says hit missile launch sites in Armenia
Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said on Wednesday that it had destroyed two missile launch sites in Armenia that were being used to target civilian areas.
Armenia’s defense ministry confirmed that areas inside the country had been targeted, but denied its forces were firing into Azerbaijan.
The ministry said it now “reserves the right to target any military installations and combat movements on the territory of Azerbaijan”.
08:10 GMT – Red Cross says ‘tens of thousands’ will need support in coming months
The International Committee of the Red Cross director for Eurasia has called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to cease hostilities.
“We project that at least tens of thousands of people across the region will need support over the next few months,” Martin Schuepp said in a statement.
“Civilians are dying or suffering from life-changing injuries. Homes, businesses, and once-busy streets are being reduced to rubble. The elderly and babies are among those forced to spend hours in unheated basements or to leave their homes for safety,”
07:30 GMT – Russian defense minister urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to respect the truce
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu appealed to his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts by phone to observe a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Good morning. This is Usaid Siddiqui in Doha and Anealla Safdar in London bringing you the latest updates on the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis today.
The latest clashes have spilled into the third week. Dozens of civilians and hundreds of soldiers have been killed. Armenia and Azerbaijan ignore calls to honor a ceasefire they both agreed to in Russia last week.
