2,783 Azerbaijani soldiers martyred during Karabakh conflict - ministry

Azerbaijani defense ministry said on Thursday that 2,783 of its soldiers were martyred during its conflict with occupying Armenian forces over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, and that more than 100 of its troops were still missing.

Azerbaijan had until now not disclosed any of its military losses in the conflict that erupted on Sept. 27 and came to a halt on Nov. 10 when a Russian-brokered peace deal ushered in a ceasefire.

Detailing the casualties of the 44-day war that started on Sept. 27 and ended on Nov. 10 when the two sides signed a Russian-brokered cease-fire deal, the ministry said 1,245 soldiers were also injured during the war.

Some 103 martyred soldiers have yet to be identified and efforts are ongoing for DNA analyses, it said, adding over 100 soldiers remain missing and a search is underway to locate them.

Relations between the ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the Armenian occupation.

On Nov. 10, the two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement to end fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.