Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2020 shows a man walking by a house damaged during clashes in the Tartar district bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua)
Shortly after the truce came into effect, Azerbaijan and Armenia broke the ceasefire and traded accusations and attacks with each other.
BAKU/YEREVAN, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan and Armenia on Monday accused each other of violating the ceasefire newly brokered in Washington.
The two countries have agreed on a new humanitarian ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region which took effect 0400 GMT Monday, according to a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun earlier in Washington.
However, shortly after the truce came into effect, the two sides broke the ceasefire and traded accusations and attacks with each other.
Photo taken on Sept. 30, 2020 shows a house shattered during the new round of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Fuzuli district of Azerbaijan. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua)
The defense ministry of Azerbaijan said in a Monday statement that the Armenian side had shelled several regions including Tovuz and Gadabay in Azerbaijan since Monday morning.
Meanwhile, Armenia's defense ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan accused Azerbaijani troops of opening artillery fire at the northeastern part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region soon after the ceasefire took effect.
Both sides denied accusations from the other party.
Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2020 shows a house damaged in the clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the Tartar district bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Photo by Tofik Babayev/Xinhua)
Monday's ceasefire agreement is the third within weeks. The two other agreements were reached on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, but both sides blamed each other for not observing them.
A new round of armed conflict broke out on Sept. 27 along the contact line of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but sporadic clashes have been taking place. ■
