Author: Jagharian Tania

Search for missing in action, recovery of bodies continued in Martuni and Shushi directions

Jagharian Tania

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 10:58,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Search operations for missing in action and recovery of bodies of the dead continued in the directions of Martuni and Shushi on November 17 until late night by the efforts of the representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and the Russian peacekeeping troops, Armenia’s defense ministry told Armenpress.

The search operations in places where military actions took place continue, involving new areas.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

COVID-19: Armenia reports 984 new cases, 2478 recoveries in one day

Jagharian Tania

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 11:22,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. 984 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 118,870, the ministry of healthcare said today.

2478 more patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 78,343.

2530 tests were conducted in the past one day.

23 more patients have died, raising the death toll to 1811.

The number of active cases is 38,253.

The number of patients who had a coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 463 (9 new such cases).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russia sends 20 planes on peacekeeping mission to Nagorno-Karabakh in 24 hours

Jagharian Tania
TASS, Russia
Nov 14 2020

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed on Friday that over 1,100 Russian peacekeepers and 168 equipment units had been sent to Nagorno-Karabakh over the past three days

ULYANOVSK, November 14. /TASS/. Russia has sent 20 planes with peacekeeping forces from Ulyanovsk to Armenia in the past 24 hours within its mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian Defense Ministry informed on Saturday.

“In the past 24 hours, 20 Il-76 planes belonging to military-transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces have left the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield,” the message informed.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed on Friday that over 1,100 Russian peacekeepers and 168 equipment units had been sent to Nagorno-Karabakh over the past three days.

On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Baku and Yerevan must exchange prisoners and the bodies of those killed.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July. Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts. Both parties to the conflict have reported numerous casualties, among them civilians.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs – Russia, France and the United States.

Citing active martial law, police warns against rallies

Jagharian Tania

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 12:11,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The national police force of Armenia issued a statement warning the political parties against their planned rally on November 11. The police cited the active martial law in the country, noting that organizing or participating in assemblies and public events is banned. “We are urging you to refrain from organizing or participating in gatherings and public events,” the law enforcement agency said.

17 political parties, including parliamentary and non-parliamentary ones, made a statement calling for a rally in Yerevan on November 11 demanding the resignation of the Pashinyan administration over the Karabakh armistice conditions.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Asbarez: An Urgent Call to Armenia’s Prime Minister

Jagharian Tania

November 10,  2020



ARF Bureau Chairman Hagop Der Khachadourian

The Armenian Nation is in horrifying shock.

The disastrous agreement—which the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia signed on his own after conducting secret negotiations—that leaves the enemy with territories it has stolen from Artsakh, has been publicized. At the same time he has also promised to surrender other regions and has accepted more humiliating conditions. This situation was foreshadowed days before, as a result of which opposition parties called on Mr. Pashinyan to leave his position on his own volition, so that in a moment of personal despair, a significant portion of the achievements of the past 30 years would not be conceded to the enemy.

Of course, it is impossible to not bow our heads to the sacred memory of the martyred soldiers and volunteers and not praise the dedication of the heroic soldiers, who continue to defend the border of the homeland with their lives.

What has happened, however, is simply an abominable self-destruction and a national tragedy.

Of course, it was anticipated that the prime minister would humbly ask for the Armenian people’s forgiveness for his actions, and would attempt, by accepting responsibility, to close the chapter of this great defeat of Artsakh’s fight for its survival, by having the people and history judge the fate of those paltry steps that have brought us to this tragedy.

But instead of expressing regret, Mr. Pashinyan chose to firmly hold on to his position and find fault everywhere except in himself. He preferred to fan the flames and, through hopeless justifications, he did not hesitate to sow further civil unrest. Instead of quietly leaving the government, he declared war on domestic “enemies.” By identifying these so-called “enemies” he sought to confuse people and divert their attention from the abhorrent reality.

Mr. prime minister, for the love of the people and the homeland, put an end to this unacceptable situation. Put the national interests above your personal one and, amicably leave the political arena.

Hagop Der Khachadourian
ARF Bureau Chairman

President of Artsakh discusses current situation with parliamentary factions

Jagharian Tania

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 16:46, 6 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has discussed the current situation and issues relating to adoption of possible political decisions with the factions of the parliament.

“Dear compatriots, I have just met with the factions of the National Assembly of Artsakh. We have discussed the current situation and issues relating to adoption of possible political decisions deriving from this situation. At this moment the joint and harmonious work of all state structures is highly important for the sacred work of the defense of the Homeland”, the President said on Facebook.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Artsakh Forces Neutralize Azeris Near Shushi

Jagharian Tania

November 5,  2020



Artsakh forces neutralized enemy combatants near Shushi

Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Thursday said that efforts by Azerbaijani ground forces to penetrate areas near Shushi were thwarted by Artsakh forces who were able to “neutralize them” causing heavy losses to the enemy.

Azerbaijani forces have been targeting Shushi for weeks in an attempt to cease control of Artsakh’s second largest city. As aerial attacks continued to rain rockets on the city, Azerbaijani groups have sporadically moved in to areas in the vicinity of the city.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry representative Artstrun Hovhanissyan said in his daily briefing on Thursday that insurgent Azerbaijani groups had camped out in villages, forests and even gorges near Shushi, but their attempts to advance have been quashed.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan visited the troops in Shushi on Thursday and and discussed the battle strategy to ward off Azerbaijani forces.
“The defensive fortifications created jointly by our professional soldiers and volunteer troops and the decisiveness of our brave men gives us hope that all possible steps are being taken to keep [Shushi] invincible,” the Artsakh President said.

“With its spiritual and cultural values and traditions, Shushi is our greatest legacy which we inherited from our ancestors, and we must pass it on to our generations with the same Armenian spirit,” said Harutyunyan.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan visits Shushi on November 5

Harutyunyan expressed special gratitude to Colonel-General Seyran Ohanyan, whom he called “a devoted son of the Armenian nation.” Ohanyan, who was Armenia’s Defense Minister, briefed Harutyunyan on combat operations in and around Shushi.

Fighting continued throughout Thursday, with Azerbaijani deploying heavy artillery in an effort to advance in the northern, southern and central fronts in Artsakh, targeting the Karmir Shuka region. Hovhannisyan said that small Azerbaijani formations, with minimal armor, but backed by artillery fire, were repelled by Artsakh forces.

In areas near Shushi, Azerbaijani insurgents were confronted by Artsakh Armed Forces soldiers who tracked them down in forests and cut them off at checkpoints, repelling them back to their original locations by encircling the enemy forces.

Hovhannisyan explained that small tactical regimens of Azerbaijan were spotted near Karin Tak and Lisagoras areas and faced Artsakh Army snipers who not only drove the enemy away, but also destroyed a cluster of armored vehicles.

Sporadic fighting continues throughout Artsakh and Azerbaijan continues its aggressive attacks against Armenians.

CivilNet: Truth: A Casualty of War

Jagharian Tania
CIVILNET.AM

6 November, 2020 05:04

It’s said that one of the first casualties of war is the truth, but war is also a great killer of complexity. There is nothing else to think but to protect our land and to support our valiant soldiers. My normal process of thought tries to see things from as many angles as possible, but that serves no purpose in the blunt and brutal activity we are presently engaged in. As Prime Minister Pashinyan has said, there is only victory or defeat. And defeat is unthinkable.

Why is it unthinkable? It is unthinkable that we are once again going to lose land that our ancestors have lived in for so long, and this is what I find so remarkable about our nation. We were divided long ago into an Eastern and Western culture, but we identify as one people. What is unthinkable is that our country of Armenia would be flanked by the ghost of Western Armenia on the west, and the possibility of a ghost of Eastern Armenia on the east. This is a nightmare.

Our grandparents were exiled from their towns and villages and it is unthinkable that we will allow a present generation to suffer the same fate. Anyone who has been to Artsakh – as I have – will know the strong-spirit and unique personality of our brothers and sisters there. It pains me tremendously to imagine that a generation born far away from the grueling war of the early nineties will now understand that not only are they themselves the children of war, but now their children will also have this dark stain on their souls.

One of the oddest things about visiting Armenia is how everyone refers to the people of Azerbaijan as ‘Turks’ and I used to believe that this was stretching things. The Karabakh War was against a different people, and I used to think that we liberated this land from the jaws of our Azerbaijani enemy. But now I understand that this really is a war against the Turks.

‘Turks’ not as nation or state, but ‘Turks’ as a concept of people who hate us so inexplicably, and have been allowed to literally hate us to death. What a crazy thought! Here we are, 105 years after the catastrophic genocide of our nation and these people are still determined to banish us off the face of the earth. Seriously, what have we done to them? Did we make a big case about what happened to Nakhchivan after the fall of the Soviet Union? We were prepared to give them that land without a fight, even though we had ancestral roots there. Why isn’t there some modicum of generosity with this land we wish to keep? Is it really that important to them?

No, what has become important is their need to hate us, and this is not a complex emotion. It bears little examination and needs only one clear response. I think William Saroyan said it best. ‘Have no shame in being kindly and gentle, but if the time comes in the time of your life to kill, kill and have no regret.’ This the ugly and awful truth we have arrived at.

This piece is part of the Voices on Karabakh collection where a select group of scholars, intellectuals, and artists contribute observations on the war in and for Karabakh. It’s an attempt to make sense of this time and this region. 

National Academy of Sciences calls on int’l partners to urge their countries to recognize Artsakh

Jagharian Tania

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 14:05, 4 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The National Academy of Sciences of Armenia has addressed the international academic community, calling on to condemn the large-scale war unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey against the people of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), urging to recognize the independence of Artsakh by their countries, the NAS told Armenpress.

“The terrorist war unleashed by Turkey and Azerbaijan against Artsakh and its peaceful civilians continues. Ignoring the calls for the ceasefire and openly stating that their final goal is to eliminate Armenians of Artsakh, the Turkish-Azerbaijani-terrorist mercenaries’ alliance continues the attack on Artsakh, using various banned munitions and armament, several thousand special divisions from Turkey and Pakistan, as well as mercenary-terrorists from Syria. Almost all villages in Artsakh have been hit with missiles. There are hundreds dead and wounded among the civilian population”, the NAS said in a message addressed to the international academic community.

The NAS stated that despite the signing of a document on ceasefire, Azerbaijan has never remained committed to its obligations.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan