Karabakh’s Defense Army reported continued Azerbaijani attacks on and shelling of its positions along the Karabakh “line of contact.” It said its troops are putting up “stiff resistance” to the enemy.
There were also fresh reports of Azerbaijani shelling of Stepanakert and other Karabakh settlements. Videos posted on social media showed powerful explosions rocking the Karabakh capital. Most of its residents reportedly spent the night in bomb shelters and other basements.
A girl embraces her relative sitting in a shelter during shelling in Stepanakert, September 19, 2023.
The Azerbaijani military said, meanwhile, that its offensive is “continuing successfully.” It claimed late on Tuesday to have captured dozens of Karabakh Armenian frontline positions.
The United States, other Western nations as well as Russia urged Baku to halt its assault hours after it began early in the afternoon on Tuesday. According to the U.S. State Department, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev assured Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he is ready to “halt military actions” and meet with Karabakh’s representatives.
Karabakh’s human rights ombudsman, Gegham Stepanian, said late on Tuesday that the fighting left at least 25 Karabakh soldiers and two civilians dead. He also said that Karabakh authorities have evacuated more than 7,000 residents of 16 towns and villages targeted by Azerbaijani artillery fire and drone strikes.