UN chief concerned about reports of fresh fighting in Karabakh

UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to exercise restraint amid the escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing on Friday.

“The Secretary-General is concerned about reports of fresh fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

“He urges the sides to refrain from any actions and statements that could escalate the situation and to address all outstanding issues, including humanitarian concerns, through direct dialogue and within existing formats,” the spokesman noted.

Three Armenian servicemen were killed in a strike by Azerbaijani drones in Artsakh’s eastern border area on Friday. The latest escalation was triggered by the Azerbaijani invasion of the village of Parukh in the Askeran region, which is in the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers.