Only experienced volunteers assigned to Karabakh - Armenian Defense Ministry
YEREVAN. April 4 (Interfax) - The Armenian Defense Ministry has reported thousands of volunteers wishing to fight in the Karabakh conflict zone.
"We are receiving thousands of statements from volunteers, including those from far-away countries. The Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic asks them to apply in groups. The number of applications is so large that only the most experienced [volunteers] are accepted," Armenian Defense Ministry press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan told the press.
Tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone abruptly escalated in the early hours of Saturday. Hostilities engaging aircraft and artillery began. The sides traded accusations of breaching of the truce along the contact line.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on Sunday afternoon that a unilateral decision had been made to suspend the hostilities. Yet Yerevan and Stepanakert claimed ongoing fighting. "The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army is ready to interact and to discuss the ceasefire offer in the context of restoring previous positions," the Defense Ministry of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said.
Armenian Defense Ministry press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan told the press on Monday morning that "fierce fighting continued along the entire line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani forces."
The conflicting sides have reported heavy casualties suffered by their enemy and have claimed moderate casualties of their own.
