The Armenian terror acts against innocent civilians of Azerbaijan

On September 27, 2020, armed forces of Armenia launched a new act of aggression against Azerbaijan by attacking on military postions of Azerbaijan and densely populated residential areas along the entire perimeterof the front line. In order to prevent another military aggression by Armenia and provide the security of densely populated civilian residential areas the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan undertook counter-offensive measures within the right of self-defence and in full compliance with international law. 

On October 9, agreement of humanitarian ceasefire was reached in Moscow at the meeting of foreign minister of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia with mediation of the Russian Federation. The purpose of the ceasefire was to exchange the dead bodies and prisoners of war. At the meeting, it was also agreed to immediately start substantive negotiations under the mediation of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Only 15 minutes after the ceasefire entered into force on October 10, at 12:00 Armenia continued its attacks on Azerbaijani positions. At night of October 11, Armenia launched missile attack on city Ganja, the second most populated city of Azerbaijan. As result, 10 civilians were killed more than 30 were seriously wounded. Extensive damage was inflicted upon civilian infrastructure. 

On October 15, the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the humanitarian ceasefire regime, continue to shell the territories of Tartar district with heavy artillery, Armenians once again targeted civilians. The Armenian army fired on the graveyard in the territory of Tartar district during the funeral using heavy artillery. As a result of this act of vandalism, four civilians killed, and five wounded. 

On the night of 17 October, 2020 the armed forces of Armenia attacked the Ganja city of Azerbaijan with ballistic missiles. This, third in a row atrocious attack on the second biggest city of Azerbaijan, since the new aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, situated far away from the frontline caused serious civilian casualties; 12 civilians, including 2 minors killed, more than 40 people injured.

The occupying Armenian armed forces, in violation of the norms and principles of international law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, as well as the requirements of the humanitarian ceasefire agreed after its own persistent requests in Moscow, continues to deliberately target residential settlements in Azerbaijan with heavy artillery fire. 

Armenian armed forces subjected to missile attacks the densely populated civilian areas in Ganja, Mingachevir, Barda, Beylagan, Tartar, Barda and some other cities of Azerbaijan. As a result of Armenia’s artillery and missile attacks, 91 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, 371 injured, more than 2800 residential buildings and civilian objects destroyed (from 27 September to 28 October 2020).

International organizations have denounced the attacks by Armenian forces on civilians in Azerbaijan. On 18 October the UN Secretary-General condemned “all attacks on populated areas” in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh zone of conflict. In a statement released by his Spokesperson, António Guterres described the “tragic loss of civilian lives, including children, from the latest reported strike on 16 October” on Azerbaijan’s second largest city of Ganja, as “totally unacceptable”.

On the same day, the European Union Statement has been issued by the Spokesperson on the strikes on the city of Ganja. The European Union deplores the strikes on the Azerbaijani city of Ganja during the night of 16-17 October resulting in civilian loss of life and serious injury. All targeting of civilians and civilian installations by either party must stop. The ceasefire of 10 October must be fully respected without delay.

The Armenian armed forces continue to grossly violate the agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire. On October 27, the enemy targeted civilian population of Azerbaijan's Barda district and fired banned cluster missiles to civilians.

As a result of the Smerch MLRS missile attack by the armed forces of Armenia on the Barda region of Azerbaijan 4 civilians, including a child were killed and 14 civilians, including children and women, were seriously injured.

On 28 October 2020, the armed forces of Armenia hit the city of Barda of Azerbaijan with a "Smerch" multiple rocket launcher system causing serious civilian causalities. As a result of the treacherous missile attack on the city of Barda 22 civilians, including children were killed and more than 70 people seriously injured.

Targeting yet another time the residential area in the city situated far away from the conflict zone, which has no signs of military targets exposes once again the terrorist nature of Armenia.

The deliberate killing of a peaceful population in the city of Barda by the armed forces of Armenia constitutes an act of genocide, a war crime, and a crime against humanity.

The political-military leadership of Armenia bears full responsibility for this crime against humanity against the Azerbaijani peaceful population.

Armenia blatantly violated 10 October Moscow joint statement, 18 October reaffirmed commitments by the mediation efforts of Paris and 24 October meeting in Washington and agreement on implementing the immediate humanitarian ceasefire. This is yet another demonstration of willful ignorance by Armenia of its commitments and open disrespect to tireless endeavors of international mediators.

By attacking the Azerbaijani residential areas and civilians during the formally declared humanitarian ceasefire and on the eve of the Geneva meeting of the Foreign Ministers of both states with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Armenia obviously aims to undermine the negotiations, increase the tensions and involve the third states to the conflict. 

Remaining silent about the barbaric acts of Armenia and impunity for these crimes against the Azerbaijani peaceful population equals inciting perpetrators for further atrocities. 

The international community should take necessary steps to stop Armenia from violating international law, purposefully killing the civilians, and demand to withdraw its armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.