YEREVAN/BAKU: Azerbaijan accused Armenia on Wednesday of trying to attack its gas and oil pipelines and warned of a “severe” response as tensions rose sharply around a fraying ceasefire in the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia hit back by saying Azeri forces wanted to seize control of the tiny territory in the South Caucasus, which is governed by ethnic Armenians, and accused Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey of “aggression” despite Saturday’s ceasefire deal.
The angry rhetoric prompted Russia to appeal again for both sides to observe the humanitarian ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.
But Moscow and Turkey also exchanged recriminations over the fighting that has killed more than 500 people since Sept. 27.
Fears are growing that the two big regional powers could be sucked into a conflict that is being fought close to Azeri pipelines which carry gas and oil to international markets. tmsnrt.rs/2SLS5ID
“Armenia is trying to attack and take control of our pipelines,” Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster Haberturk.
“If Armenia tries to take control of the pipelines there, I can say that the outcome will be severe for them,” he said.
Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said separately that it would destroy all military facilities in Armenia that targeted Azeri civilian locations.
The Armenian defence ministry has denied firing on civilian targets, but said it reserved the right to target any military installations and combat movements in Azerbaijan.
It said on Wednesday that the Azeri side had opened fire towards the territory of Armenia and destroyed military equipment.
In a televised speech after Aliyev spoke, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the situation in the conflict area was “very difficult” and that Azerbaijan and Turkey did not want “to stop their aggression”.
Azerbaijan was trying to occupy Nagorno-Karabakh, he said, using similar language to Azeri leaders who say Armenian forces are occupying the territory.
