Residential houses and the gas pipeline are damaged in the town of Martakert in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in Grad multiple rocket launcher fire by the Azeri side, the Karabakh news agency Artsakhpress reported.

"Several residential houses and the gas pipeline are damaged. People are staying in the shelters. The peaceful life is disrupted. Azerbaijan is waging intensive precise fire against the town," the news agency reported.

For his part, lawmaker of the NKR parliament Rudik Yusnunts said that people were not evacuated from the town of Martakert. "Residents of the town are not evacuated and are staying in the shelters. Residents of the Matagis village are evacuated. No people are killed," Yusnunts said on the air of the NKR Public Television.

The Azeri Armed Forces are firing Grad multiple rocket launchers and 152mm artillery guns against the town of Martakert, press secretary of the NKR Defense Ministry Senor Asratyan earlier told Interfax.

The situation in the Karabakh conflict area has deteriorated in the early hours on April 2. The parties to the conflict are blaming each other for violating the truce.

The Azeri Defense Ministry said that it had stopped the hostilities on April 3. Yerevan and Stepanakert do not confirm this.

For its part, the NKR Defense Ministry said it is ready to discuss an offer for ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict area, if original positions are restored.