Nagorno-Karabakh’s Defense Army says Azerbaijani troops suffered “considerable” casualties and loss of military hardware as a result of its punitive actions and “targeted” strikes carried out overnight.

According to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s (NKR) Ministry of Defense, the actions were undertaken to “neutralize” aggressive actions of the Azerbaijani side.

The official news from Stepanakert came amid reported success of Karabakh troops in regaining some of the ground near the line of contact apparently lost during the April 2-5 operations. In particular, it is speculated that Armenians restored control over some strategic heights near Talish.

Meanwhile, the Karabakh military accused Azerbaijan of continuing to violate the ceasefire agreement reached between the conflicting parties on April 5 and resorting to the use of “the foulest and most diabolic means in its arsenal.”

The ceasefire reached verbally by the chiefs of the general staffs of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in Moscow put an end to heavy fighting in the conflict zone that claimed scores of military as well as civilian lives on both sides.

“Given the current situation, the NKR Ministry of Defense advises that the opposing party respect the ceasefire agreement reached between the parties and warns it against targeting civilian settlements. Otherwise, it is the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan that will bear full responsibility for the consequences,” it said in its statement.

The Karabakh military reports that intensive fire along the entire perimeter of the Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact observed on April 26 continued overnight, with Azerbaijan using almost all means of artillery at its disposal, including mortars, howitzers as well as MM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers.

One Defense Army soldier, 20-yearold Hayk Minasyan, was fatally wounded in the skirmishes, it added.