Karabakh conflict: US says use of heavy weapons unacceptable

"We call for the sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regimen,” Kirby said. "We also remind the sides that these attacks do not conform to the commitment by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully. 

"Later this month the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs will hold the next presidential summit between the presidents. We call on the sides to take all steps to avoid violence and to improve the atmosphere for negotiations to take place in good faith at the summit.”

Azerbaijan destroyed an Armenian military vehicle near the line of contact, the Defense Ministry in Baku said Tuesday.

The ministry provided a video apparently filmed from a drone showing a burning military vehicle. The date shown on the video was December 7.

The ministry said Monday an Armenian drone was shot down and dozens of enemy troops were killed in mortar attacks the previous day. 

The strikes were in retaliation for the killings of three Azerbaijani army servicemen in the past few days.

Tensions have escalated between Armenia and Azerbaijan as Baku accused Yerevan of seeking to benefit from the Russia-Turkey spat.

Armenia captured nearly one-fifth of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh, in a war after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

While major hostilities ended with a cease-fire in 1994, no peace agreement has been signed.

Armenia continues the occupation of the Azerbaijani territory in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.