Azerbaijan says seized key Nagorno-Karabakh town, Armenia denies claim

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday that Azeri forces had captured the strategic town of Shusha in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

DEAR SHUSHA, YOU ARE FREE! Dear Shusha, we have returned! Dear Shusha, we will reinvigorate you! Karabakh is ours! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) November 8, 2020

Aliyev’s comments were followed by a statement by the country’s defence ministry. The ministry said that Shusha “has been liberated from Armenian occupation after more than 28 years.”

The city of #Shusha has been liberated from Armenian occupation after more than 28 years.#KarabakhisAzerbaijan#LongLiveAzerbaijanArmy

— Azerbaijan MOD (@wwwmodgovaz) November 8, 2020

Armenia immediately disputed Azerbaijan's claim, saying the fighting was ongoing.

Over the night, the most ferocious combat has unfolded in the vicinity of #Shushi, and in the southeastern sector. A large number of hostile personnel, along with 4 tanks, 20 other armored vehicles, 11 soft-skinned vehicles, and 2 UAVs have been destroyed.

— Shushan Stepanyan (@ShStepanyan) November 8, 2020

Turkey's Vice President Oktay praised Azerbaijan's "victory" and said “Shusha has survived Armenian occupation.

Şuşa, Ermenistan işgalinden kurtuldu.

Zaferin kutlu, gazan mübarek olsun gardaşım.
🇹🇷🇦🇿

— Fuat Oktay (@fuatoktay) November 8, 2020

Clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh region erupted on Sept. 27 and has continued despite a number of ceasefires brokered by Russia and the United States. 

Turkey has thrown its firm support behind Azerbaijan and been accused of deploying Islamist mercenaries from Syria and Libya in the region in support of Azeri forces.