Fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Monday night killed almost 100 soldiers.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said 49 soldiers died in the overnight clashes, while Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said 50 of its soldiers were also killed.
The neighboring countries have fought two wars and seen regular smaller skirmishes spanning three decades. On Tuesday, Russia said it brokered a ceasefire over the latest outbreak.
Armenia initially said the fighting had calmed down. Later, Azerbaijan said it had completed its targets after “provocations” by its neighbor.
At the heart of the dispute is the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It is, according to internationally recognized borders, part of Azerbaijan, but is populated by ethnic Armenians.
The cultural divide extends beyond politics to religion, too: Armenia is a Christian-majority country, while Azerbaijan is predominantly Muslim.
