New clashes erupt in Nagorno-Karabakh, helicopters shot down

YEREVAN/BAKU - The Armenian Defense Ministry said on Sunday that it has shot down two helicopters and three drones of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The move is a response to Azerbaijan's attack on civilians settlements in the region, the ministry said.

"As reported earlier, the command staff of the Azerbaijan Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the armed forces of Armenia and ensure the safety of the civilian population,” Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense told Azerbaijan's state news agency Azertac on Sunday.

Azertac reported that Armenia's 12 air-defense missile systems were destroyed while one military helicopter of Azerbaijan was shot down with crew alive during the clashes.

Heavy fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region has caused civilian casualties on both sides, the Azerbaijani presidency reported.

Both sides said that the clashes are going on.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes along the borders.

Agencies contributed to this story.