AZERBAIJAN officially claimed control of Nagorno-Karabakh today following a deadly two-day military offensive against the Armenia-backed regional forces.

Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov claimed he reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s determination to guarantee Nagorno-Karabakh residents “all rights and freedoms” in line with the country’s constitution and international human rights obligations, including safeguards for ethnic minorities.

Azerbaijan’s forces stand accused of war crimes in their repeated assaults on the self-governing enclave.