Turkey on Sunday condemned Armenia’s recent attacks on residential areas in Azerbaijan’s second-largest city Ganja, saying they are the latest manifestation of Yerevan's lawless behavior.

"Armenia, who is facing a defeat in Azerbaijani territories they occupied, targets civilian residential areas beyond the conflict zones by violating all principles of humanitarian law, mainly the Geneva Convention. These attacks prove Armenia’s desperation, and it would not hesitate to commit humanitarian crimes to maintain its illegal occupation. As we have always said, Armenia is the biggest obstacle to the peace and stability in the region,” the statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry added that Turkey will continue to support Azerbaijan’s stance – rooted in its legitimate right to self-defense based on international law – against Armenia’s provocations.

Accordingly, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın reiterated on the same day that Armenia has to stop the occupation of Azerbaijani territory.

"Just as the solution to the Palestinian issue lies in Israel ending its occupation of Palestinian land, the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue lies in Armenia ending its occupation of Azerbaijani land,” Kalın said during a televised interview on Turkish channel Kanal 7.

"If a crisis continues for decades in the international system, then this means that there are some powers that benefit from the continuation of this issue,” Kalın said, stressing that if the conflict was only between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it would probably be solved earlier.

Relations between the two former Soviet nations have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Four United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and two U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions demand the withdrawal of the occupying forces.

Renewed border clashes broke out early Sunday when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to casualties.

As soon as the violations began, Ankara reiterated its support for Azerbaijan, with many officials, mainstream parties and the Turkish Foreign Ministry declaring unwavering backing of its brotherly Turkic nation.

However, although Turkey’s position is in line with international law, some countries tried to target Ankara for its support of Baku.

While U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden said that Turkey must stay out of this conflict on Sept. 29, French President Emmanuel Macron a day later voiced solidarity with Armenia, saying: "I have noticed the political statements made by Turkey (in favor of Azerbaijan), which I find to be inconsiderate and risky.”

Kalın responded to these claims and said: "They try to create such a perception, ‘Everything was perfect in Nagorno-Karabakh until Turkey came in and clashes erupted.' That is not true. On the contrary, there is an Armenian occupation and Azerbaijan’s resistance to this for years – it is clear on which side Turkey is here.”

Regarding Macron’s statements, Kalın stated that this was an attempt to divert attention from the fact that the real problem is the Armenian occupation.

"Our presence there is within the framework of military agreements, this is nothing new, Kalın said.

Azerbaijan said on Sunday that Armenian forces had shelled Ganja in an escalation of the war in the South Caucasus that broke out one week ago due to the territorial disputes over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia denied that it had directed fire "of any kind" toward Azerbaijan, but an Armenian separatist leader said his forces had destroyed a military air base in Ganja.

Arayik Harutyunyan said his forces would target Azerbaijani cities, adding: "Permanent military units located in the large cities of Azerbaijan from now on have become the targets of the defense army."

"Delivering fire on the territory of Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities," Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said.

"Armenian forces struck Ganja with rockets from Armenian territory," said Hikmet Hajiyev, an adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

He said Armenian forces had also used heavy artillery and rockets against the towns of Tartar and Goradiz in Azerbaijan.

Ganja, with a population of 335,000, is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Armenian city of Vardenis. Azerbaijan has previously accused Armenia of firing into its territory from Vardenis, and Yerevan has denied it.

Casualties from the past week's fighting have run into the hundreds, although precise figures are impossible to obtain.

Ignoring appeals from Russia, the United States, France and the European Union to call a cease-fire, the opposing sides stepped up hostilities over the weekend, with an accompanying rise in aggressive rhetoric.

Armenia said Saturday it would use "all necessary means" to protect ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijani attacks.

Azerbaijan said on Saturday its forces had captured a string of villages. Armenia acknowledged that Armenian fighters were under pressure in some places and said the situation on the ground was fluctuating.

The clashes are the worst since the 1990s, when some 30,000 people were killed. They have raised international concern about stability in the South Caucasus, where pipelines carry Azerbaijani oil and gas to world markets.

The escalation carries the risk of a full-scale war between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia that could drag in other powers. Azerbaijan is supported by Turkey, while Armenia has a defense pact with Russia. The fighting that broke out one week ago between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces has intensified in the past two days and spread way beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh region.