Armenia puts national army units on full combat alert as shelling hits capital of self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic

Yerevan ordered its army to go on full combat alert, on Friday, as violence intensified in Nagorno-Karabakh. Earlier, authorities reported the region’s capital, Stepanakert, had endured artillery strikes which left people wounded.

The shelling of Stepanakert, a city of 55,000 residents located in the middle of the disputed border region, has left many people injured and civilian infrastructure damaged, Armenian authorities reported. An order to put the national military on the highest level of combat readiness followed shortly afterwards.

“The units have prepared to accept personnel and hardware. The process of raising their strength to full levels is underway,"  the ministry said in a statement. "All units of the Armenian armed forces have been deployed to defensive positions."

The disputed region unilaterally split from Azerbaijan three decades ago, prompting a bloody war in which Yerevan supported the predominantly ethnic Armenian population there. Baku considers Nagorno-Karabakh - and areas under the control of its de facto authorities - to be occupied by Armenia.

The ongoing hostilities erupted last Sunday, with both sides accusing each other of setting off the surge of violence. After the fighting broke out, Armenia announced full mobilization. The next day, Azerbaijan followed its rival, implementing a partial call up. 

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