BAKU: Azerbaijan has captured a key town in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region, according to the country’s president.

Ilham Aliyev announced in a televised address on Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken Shusha, known as Shushi in Armenian.

Armenia however denied the town’s capture and said fighting was ongoing.

Capturing the strategically important town would be a major victory for Azerbaijan in the ongoing conflict over the disputed territory.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but is governed by ethnic Armenians backed by the Armenian government.

A war between the two countries over the region ended in 1994 with a truce but no peace deal.

(With inputs from Agencies)