Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree On Ceasefire To Avoid Disruption Of Gas Supplies

Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiated a cease-fire to end a flare-up of fighting that has killed 155 soldiers from both sides, a senior Armenian official said early Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Photo Insert: Armen Grigoryan (center), the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, announced the truce in televised remarks.

Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, announced the truce in televised remarks, saying it took effect hours earlier, at 8 p.m. (1600 GMT) Wednesday or 12 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, in Manila.

A previous ceasefire that Russia brokered Tuesday quickly failed. Several hours before Grigoryan’s announcement, Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported that shelling had ceased but it didn’t mention the ceasefire deal.

The Armenian defense ministry accused Azerbaijan, which is backed politically and militarily by Turkey, of firing artillery and small arms in a fresh attack.

On Tuesday, at least 49 Armenian and 50 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed along their common border, prompting an appeal for calm from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both sides blamed each other for the fighting.

The clashes have raised fears of another major armed conflict in the former Soviet Union while Russia's military is focused on the invasion of Ukraine, Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber reported for Reuters.

A full-fledged conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan would risk dragging in Russia and Turkey and destabilize an important corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas just as war in Ukraine disrupts energy supplies, Nailia Bagirova and Lidia Kelly also reported for Reuters.

Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for the hostilities, with Armenian authorities accusing Baku of unprovoked aggression and Azerbaijani officials saying their country was responding to Armenian shelling.

Pashinyan said 105 of his country’s soldiers had been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50. Azerbaijani authorities said they were ready to unilaterally hand over the bodies of up to 100 Armenian soldiers.

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