Heavy fighting erupts over separatist Nagorno-Karabakh

[Eugene]

2. Azerbaijan declares unilateral ceasefire amid Nagorno-Karabakh violence

Source: CNN

Azerbaijan declares unilateral ceasefire amid Nagorno-Karabakh violence

By Greg Botelho, Gul Tuysuz and Joshua Berlinger, CNN
Updated 1309 GMT (2009 HKT) April 3, 2016 | Video Source: CNN

(CNN) - Azerbaijan says it is laying down its weapons in its recent conflict with Armenia, according to state media, a day after 30 soldiers from both sides were killed.

"In the light of persistent calls from international organizations and given the fact that the government of Azerbaijan is pursuing a peaceful policy, the Azerbaijani armed forces took a unilateral decision to stop counter-attacks and retaliatory action against the enemy in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the country's ministry of defense said in a statement, according to Azerbaijan state news agency Azertac.

However, Azerbaijan said it will respond to any continued "provocations" with "offensive operations in order to destroy the enemy."

The announcement comes a day after long-simmering tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared again, with at least 18 Armenian and 12 Azerbaijani troops killed in fighting, according to state media reports.

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Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/03/asia/azerbaijan-armenia-violence/