BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 30
Trend:
The US reaffirms its commitment to facilitating a peaceful negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a Minsk Group Co-Chair, US Ambassador James S. Gilmore to the Special Permanent Council said, Trend reports citing US Department of State.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports of large-scale military action along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that has resulted in a significant number of deaths, including among civilians. We extend our condolences to the families of those killed and injured,” Gilmore said.
“We call on the sides to stop fighting immediately and return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and without preconditions. United States Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun has already reached out to the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to urge de-escalation, to use the existing direct communication links between them to prevent further escalation, and to refrain from unhelpful or inflammatory rhetoric and actions that further aggravate tensions on the ground,” he said.
Gilmore added that the US calls on the sides to take immediate steps to reduce tensions, to ensure security measures are proportionate, and to respect international human rights.
“The United States believes participation in the escalating violence by any external party would only exacerbate regional tensions. There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The sides must stand down and come to the negotiation table,” he said.
“As a Minsk Group Co-Chair, the United States reaffirms its commitment to facilitating a peaceful negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is still time to turn this around and prevent the further deaths of civilians and military personnel,” Gilmore added
Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27.
Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari, Ashagi Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district).
Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control.
Military actions continued on Sept. 29. Azerbaijani army was able to destroy several tanks of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as several key military facilities.
Azerbaijan's Dashkesan district underwent fire on the same day from the opposing forces, while Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued military actions on Sept. 29 to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation.
Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.