Azerbaijan claims to have captured key city in Nagorno-Karabakh

President Aliyev says country's forces have taken Shusha, despite Armenian denials

Azerbaijan has said it has recaptured the symbolic town of Shusha, a claim denied by Armenian officials as fighting in the bloody six-week-old battle over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory appeared to reach an apex.

[This day] will become a great day in the history of Azerbaijan," said Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, in a televised address. His announcement on Sunday was greeted with celebrations on the streets of Baku as Azerbaijanis gathered to wave flags and sing.