Azerbaijan claims control over Zangilan and several Karabakh villages

The Azerbaijani Army has taken control over the city of Zangilan and 24 villages in the Fizuli, Djebrail, Khojavend and Zangilan Districts, President Ilham Aliev has stated. The total number of Karabakh dwelling settlements declared occupied by Azerbaijani troops has reached 97.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that by October 19, Azerbaijan announced the establishment of its control over more than 70 settlements, including two strategically important regional centres – Djebrail (the Armenian name is Djrakan) and Gadrut, as well as over the completely destroyed city of Fizuli (the Armenian name is Varanda). Earlier, Armenia had refuted the information about the loss of Djebrail and Gadrut. Russian experts have treated the contradictions in parties' statements as an element of an information war.

According to Ilham Aliev, his main mission as president is to restore the country's territorial integrity. He has added that Azerbaijan will work to ensure that citizens could return to their settlements occupied by the army and live there in peace.

In his turn, Araik Arutyunyan, the President of Nagorno-Karabakh, has confirmed that the heaviest battles are now underway in the Kovsakan area, the "Sputnik-Armenia" reports.

Besides, the Armenian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has indirectly confirmed the information about the general retreat of Armenian military servicemen.