Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Human Rights Defender Artak Beglaryan has reported deaths among civilians from the Armenian side, after Azerbaijan launched an attack against Karabakh and began shelling civilian settlements and the capital Stepanakert on Sunday, September 27.

"Azerbaijan launched large-scale air and artillery strikes along the Artsakh-Azerbaijani contact line and numerous civilian settlements and infrastructure, including capital Stepanakert. There are civilian casualties and destructions," the Ombudsman said.

In his message, the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh condemned the rough violation by Azerbaijan of the norms of international humanitarian law.

The Ombudsman called on the international community to assess the actions of Azerbaijan, especially in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, and take measures to eliminate threats to the life and safety of thousands of people in Karabakh.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan has said that the Karabakh army has downed two helicopters and three drones of the Azerbaijani army. According to the spokesperson, the Azerbaijani military has launched an air and missile attack on Artsakh.

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.

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.