Iran Press/Europe: Russia has made a fresh appeal to Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan to respect a badly fraying ceasefire in the breakaway South Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh, with both sides blaming each other for fresh attacks, including on civilians.
Both sides have denied breaking the ceasefire, though not unequivocally. The Republic of Azerbaijan said on Wednesday it reserved the right to hit any military installations that targeted civilians and to repel movements into its territory, The Guardian reported.
The Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, made the new appeal for peace by telephone to the Azeri and Armenian defense ministers, urging the countries to “fully meet the commitments” made under the humanitarian ceasefire brokered by Moscow.
The ceasefire is buckling despite mounting calls from world powers to halt the fighting, which has killed more than 500 people since the decades-old conflict flared on 27 September. International groups have warned of a humanitarian crisis, with people forced from their homes and a growing COVID-19 pandemic.
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