BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 4
By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:
The participation of Armenian militants on the side of armed groups is a terrorist activity, Fuad Akhundov, head of the Public and Political Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration told Trend.
He noted that in all civilized countries such actions are considered as a criminal offense.
Akhundov stressed that even the Karabakh Armenians living abroad admit that the people in Karabakh can't object to the events taking place, as they live at gunpoint.
"Currently, Azerbaijan is conducting a counter - offensive, freeing territories for our refugees," Akhundov said, adding that Armenia has captured three times as large territories outside of Nagorno-Karabakh, expelling 700,000 Azerbaijanis for the sake of comfortable living for the 50,000 Armenian population, thus creating a zone of living space.
"Armenia used to use scorched earth tactics on these lands, and now we want to turn this land back into a blooming garden and return our refugees to their homes," he added.
Akhundov noted that Azerbaijan is doing what any other country would do in its place. No country will tolerate the boot of a foreign invader trampling its land. Azerbaijan is releasing them for the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian admitted on the Al Jazeera TV channel that Armenians from different countries are fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh on October 1, 2020.
“They are ethnic Armenians and there is nothing wrong with the fact that despite being citizens of different countries they are fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. We recognize the participation of Armenians from different countries in the fighting," he said.
On October 1, 2020, Sarkissian admitted in the interview to Al Jazeera that Armenians from different countries are fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.
"They are ethnic Armenians and there is nothing wrong with the fact that, despite the fact that they are citizens of different countries, they are fighting in Nagorno Karabakh. We admit the participation of Armenians from different countries in the hostilities," Sarkissian said.
Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of 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 liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as take important, strategic heights under control.
Military actions continued on Sept. 29 - Oct. 1. According to a statement from Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, the Armenian armed forces have suffered heavy losses along the entire front line from Sept. 27 through Sept. 30, including tanks, armored vehicles, artillery installations, rocket launch systems, as well as command and observation posts, air defense systems, etc.
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.
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