According to a statement released via Facebook, the ceasefire agreement, effective from 1pm local time today, means the separatist forces will disband and disarm

The statement also spoke of regular Armenian forces also withdrawing from Karabakh.

Talks on the future of the region and the ethnic Armenians who live there would be held tomorrow between representatives of the Armenian population and Azerbaijani authorities, the statement said.

Baku had demanded that the separatist political authorities in Karabakh, which is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, also disband before any talks are held about the future of the region which Azerbaijan wants to fully integrate.

It sent troops backed by artillery strikes into Karabakh yesterday in an attempt to bring the breakaway region to heel by force, raising the threat of a new war with its neighbour Armenia.

Its forces had continued to pound Armenian forces there today.