Azerbaijan and Armenia blame each other for large scale shelling in Karabakh

Azerbaijan and Armenia are accusing each other of using heavy weapons in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry says Armenian forces have attacked all the border positions stationed with Azerbaijanis. The Ministry accuses Armenian forces of using mortars, rocket launchers and artillery. According to Azerbaijan, the Armenians have violated their ceasefire agreement 127 times.

At the same time, Armenia's Defense Ministry says the Azerbaijani Army was first to launch an attack using tanks, artillery and aircraft. The Armenian Ministry claims multiple Grad rocket bombardments around the village of Martuni have killed a 12-year-old boy.

Both sides are claiming the other is suffering heavy losses as a result of this outbreak of fighting. Earlier today, Armenia claimed it shot down an Azerbaijani Airforce helicopter. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry denies this information, calling it a lie and a provocation.

From 1991–1994, an armed conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia was fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The conflict resulted in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic gaining de facto independence.