Azerbaijan-Armenia clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh escalate: Live

As the crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalates, diplomatic efforts are underway to stop the fighting. France is calling for an urgent meeting of the Minsk Group, led by Russia, France and the US, to find a solution to the long-running conflict. The fierce fighting, which continued for a third day on Tuesday, has killed dozens of soldiers and at least 11 civilians so far. The UN and the international community have called for an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated settlement. Here are the latest updates: 18:50 GMT – Armenian Defence Ministry reports losses among Azerbaijani forces Armenian Defence Ministry reported a total of 137 armored vehicles and 72 drones destroyed, and 790 casualties among Azerbaijani forces 18:00 GMT – Turkey denies sending Syrian fighters to help ally Azerbaijan Turkey denied reports that it sent Syrian fighters to help its ally Azerbaijan fight Armenian forces over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, saying the assertions were part of Armenia’s attempts to create “dark propaganda” about Turkey. On Monday, the Armenian ambassador to Russia said Turkey had sent around 4,000 fighters from Turkish-controlled northern Syria to Azerbaijan and that they were involved in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. Two Syrian combatants also told Reuters that Ankara was sending fighters from Turkish-allied rebel groups in northern Syria to support Azerbaijan. 17:33 GMT – Qatar’s Emir hold phone call with Azerbaijan president Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for calm and for resolving the dispute between the two countries through dialogue and diplomatic means in order to preserves the interests of the two countries, Qatar news agency reported. 16:30 GMT – Putin urges all sides to hold fire in Nagorno-Karabakh during phone call with Armenian PM Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the opposing sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to hold their fire, during a conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and for all sides to de-escalate the crisis [Reuters]Putin emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and for all sides to take measures to de-escalate the crisis, the Kremlin said. Armenia and Azerbaijan accused one another on Tuesday of firing directly into each other’s territory and rejected pressure to hold peace talks as their conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh threatened to spill over into all-out war. 16:00 GMT – Armenia says talks with Azerbaijan not possible while military action taking place Armenian prime minister has urged the international community to condemn Azeri and Turkish aggression, saying the existence of the Armenian people is under threat. Nikol Pashinyan also said talks with Azerbaijan is not possible while military action is taking place on ground. 15:30 GMT – Azerbaijan’s president says there cannot be talks with Armenia Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has rejected any possibility of talks with neighbouring Armenia over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region and said that Yerevan’s demands were unacceptable, Russian news agencies reported. Aliyev said that Azerbaijan’s ally Turkey was not a party to the conflict and its role in the region was of a stabilising nature. 14:48 GMT – Azerbaijan says 12 Azeri civilians killed, 35 wounded by Armenian fire Twelve Azeri civilians have been killed and 35 wounded by Armenian fire, the Azeri Prosecutor’s Office said. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">