Nagorno-Karabakh: Exclusive footage shows bomb damage in border towns as violence continues

Euronews reporter Emin Ibrahimov (right)
Euronews reporter Emin Ibrahimov (right) Copyright Euronews
By Euronews
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Residents in towns along the Azeri-Armenian border are living with the real threat of bombardments as homes and businesses are destroyed by shelling.

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Civilians are continuing to live with the threat of bombardments as the latest flare-up between Azerbaijan and Armenia forces in Nagorno-Karabakh appears to have spilt over into towns along the border, footage filmed exclusively by Euronews on the Azeri side shows.

Our reporter Emin Ibrahimov was the only foreign journalist able to gain access to what is now a restricted military area in the city of Terter, Azerbaijan.

The town has been the target of heavy Armenian bombardments over the last days, the same way as towns on the Armenian-held side have been bombarded too. As well as housing, Terter's shopping district was also badly-damaged in an apparent strike.

Meanwhile, Armenia on Monday accused Azerbaijan of firing missiles into the main city capital of the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, which is named Khankendi by Azerbaijan.

Euronews filmed under supervision in Terter but without interference from the Azeri military.

"Armenian troops fired one rocket that fell here. And they also hit over there. We've lived in Terter for a long time and we're not afraid to stay here," one resident told Euronews.

The story in Terter is a familiar tale in towns on both sides of the Azeri-Armenian border.

In Naftallan, our film crew also found houses and buildings destroyed.

Armenian bombardments also allegedly targeted Ganja, Azerbaijan's second-largest city, where our crew found more bomb-damaged buildings and traumatised local people.

"I'm ill and I was cooking a meal for my son who's also ill. Suddenly, from behind me the door was blown out and onto the ground. I turned around and everything was destroyed," one woman told our reporter.

Even when the immediate threat of bombardments has eased, undetonated shells continue to pose a danger to residents of the city.

Close to a family home, which appeared to still be inhabited, our crew found an unexploded 300 mm Smerch missile on the ground. Close by lay a child's stroller and other personal effects abandoned by their owners.

It comes as Armenian military officials reported missile strikes in the main city of the separatist-held territory territorial capital of Stepanakert, which came under intense attacks all weekend.

Residents told the Russian state RIA Novosti news agency that parts of the city were suffering shortages of electricity and gas after the strikes.

Iran, which borders both countries, said it was working on a peace plan for the decades-old conflict, which reignited last month and has killed scores of people on both sides.

The region of Nagorno-Karabakh lies inside Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994.

Watch our exclusive report in the video player above.

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