16 servicemen of the Nagorno Karabakh army were killed on Sunday, September 27 after Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive along the line of contact, Deputy Defense Minister of Karabakh Artur Sargsyan has told reporters․

According to preliminary information, more than 100 soldiers have been wounded since Sunday morning, Sargsyan added.

The Deputy Defense Minister said the Armenian side has destroyed three helicopters, as many as 20 drones, 30 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles belonging to the Azerbaijani army.

Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan has already briefed Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, on the situation along the Karabakh contact line.

Karabakh President’s spokesperson Vahram Poghosyan has said the Azerbaijani military has been shelling the civilian settlements of Karabakh, including the capital Stepanakert. Two civilians – a woman and a child – have been killed, and at least two other have been injured so far.

The last major escalation on the contact line of Nagorno-Karabakh was in April 2016 when Azerbaijan resumed hostilities against Karabakh. Throughout the four-day military campaign, 64 soldiers, 13 volunteers and four civilians, including a child, were killed and more than 120 people were wounded on the Armenian side. According to information from the U.S. Department of State, Azerbaijan lost more than 270 people in total.