Azerbaijan has the ability to liberate its occupied lands by itself, Turkey's top diplomat said Wednesday, amid Azerbaijan fighting off an offensive by Armenian forces in occupied Upper Karabakh, Anadolu Agency reports.
"Azerbaijan is fighting to protect its own lands. Where in the world are the occupied and occupier treated the same?" Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at Anadolu Agency’s Editors' Desk.
Clashes broke out early Sunday when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to multiple casualties.
With these attacks, Armenia ignored the international system and international law, Cavusoglu said, adding that this attitude deserves a response.
Turkey continues to support Azerbaijan, he added, saying: "We said that if Azerbaijan wants to solve [the Armenian occupying problem] on the ground, we will stand by Azerbaijan."
Following Armenia's border violations and attacks in occupied Upper Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's parliament declared a state of war in some areas.
Azerbaijan declared a partial military mobilization on Monday.