Fresh clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, both part of the erstwhile Soviet Union, have resulted in at least 21 people being killed, news agency Reuters reported. The clashes continued for a second day on Monday.

The territory of Nagorno-Karabakh is the main point of contention between the two countries. Although recognised as a part of Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh territory is home to the ethnic Armenian majority and is run by them with support from Armenia.

In Nagorno-Karabakh over 100 citizens were wounded after Azerbaijan launched an air and artillery attack early on Sunday, another Reuters report said. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh declared martial law and mobilised the male population. In response, Azerbaijan also declared martial law.

Despite a ceasefire agreement, clashes between the countries over the contentious territory are a recurring feature. In 2016, at least 200 people were killed in the region, the Reuters report added. In July 2020, sixteen people lost their lives. Fresh clashes have attracted the concern of other countries like China and Russia since the region is a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets.