India on Thursday expressed its concern over hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

As the situation threatens regional peace and security, both sides “need to cease hostilities immediately by taking all possible steps to maintain peace at the border,” Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during a weekly media briefing.

Hostilities broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the early hours of September 27, resulting in casualties on both sides.

India believes that any lasting resolution of the conflict can only be achieved peacefully through diplomatic negotiations.

“In this regard, we support OSCE Minsk Group’s continued efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the MEA spokesperson said.

The major reason for the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan describes the mountainous region of this region as its own, while Armenia has occupied it.

The area has been under Armenia's occupation since the fighting ended in 1994.

In 2016 too, there was a bloody war between the two countries over this area, in which 200 people were killed. Now once again both countries are face to face. Both countries were once part of the USSR.