BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 5
Trend:
There are convincing facts about missile attacks by Armenia on the civilian population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As part of a new provocation against Azerbaijan, the Armenian Armed Forces, violating international law, including basic norms and international humanitarian law, as well as the relevant international standards of Armenia, willfully aims at the population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan.
So far, as a result of targeted shelling by Armenia, 24 people have been killed, 121 civilians have been wounded, more than 300 houses and civilian objects of Azerbaijan have been destroyed.
The deliberate missile fire from the territory of Armenia on the second largest city of Azerbaijan - Ganja, the industrial city of Mingachevir, densely populated areas in the Khizi district and Absheron region of Azerbaijan, is a provocation in order to expand the zone of military operations and involve third sides in the conflict, said the ministry.
“The Azerbaijani side has tangible facts that the civilian population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan is being subjected to missile fire from the territory of Armenia, including from the cities of Goris, Sisian, Jermuk and Berd. All evidence collected by local and foreign experts, including with the participation of foreign journalists in the field, will be presented to the relevant international organizations,“ the Azerbaijani MFA said.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on Armenia to follow the norms and principles of international law, including obligations under international humanitarian law, and fulfill the requirements of the UN Security Council resolutions on the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
“We repeat that the leadership of Armenia is entirely responsible for the consequences of the counter-offensive measures to be carried out to ensure the security of settlements in the hinterland of Azerbaijan,” the foreign ministry 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.
The fighting continued into October 2020, in the early days of which Armenia launched missile attacks on Azerbaijani cities of Ganja, Mingachevir, Khizi as well as Absheron district.
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.