Azeri artillery in use against Armenian forces

A ceasefire in the mountain territory of Nagorno-Karabakh was under severe strain on Tuesday (October 20) after fierce new clashes between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces fighting their deadliest battles since the 1990s.

The ceasefire, agreed on Saturday, has had little impact on fighting that began on Sept. 27, despite concerns it could spark a wider conflict involving Russia and Turkey.

Several hundred people have been killed since Sept. 27 in fighting involving drones, warplanes, heavy artillery, tanks and missiles, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis and concerns about the security of oil and gas pipelines in Azerbaijan.

The new ceasefire appears to have had no more effect on fighting than an earlier deal brokered by Russia that failed.