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Heavy battles took place along the entire Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on Thursday. The Azerbaijani troops continued to attack the Artsakh Defense Army positions, using warplanes, attack helicopters, heavy grenade launchers, their entire arsenal of missiles and artillery, as well as special units, Deputy Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army, Artur Sargsyan, told a briefing on Friday.

According to him, the dynamics of military operations, the number of weapons, military equipment and personnel used was unprecedented, especially in the northern and southern directions.

During the night the tensions eased slightly, but the shelling continued unabated, he said, adding the units of the Defense Army performed their tasks flawlessly and brilliantly.

54 more Artsakh troops were killed in the heavy clashes, Sargsyan said.

"Unfortunately, 54 soldiers of the Defense Army sacrificed their lives while defending the homeland. The number of wounded is being clarified, we have many wounded soldiers,” he said, adding that at least a temporary ceasefire is needed for the exchange of the dead bodies, but at the moment there is no tendency for that.