Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Russia ‘Doing Everything’ To End Fighting In Nagorno-Karabakh
• Aza Babayan
RUSSIA -- Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with heads of
religious confessions on the National Unity Day, via a video conference call in
Moscow, November 4, 2020
Moscow is doing everything in its power to put an end to the armed conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh as soon as possible, Russian President Vladimir Putin said
during a meeting with representatives of religious organizations on Wednesday.
Putin said that a halt to hostilities will save the lives of people “who stand
opposite each other and, unfortunately, still see each other through rifle
sights.”
“They are using weapons against each other to achieve goals that, in our deep
conviction, could be achieved through a negotiation process,” the Russian leader
said.
Putin again stressed that Russia stays in contact with both Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
“I hope that we will be able to achieve a result on the basis that would suit
all people living in the region, and achieve it by peaceful means,” Putin added.
As the Kremlin reported earlier this week, Putin had separate telephone
conversations with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev on November 1 and 2, respectively. It said the situation
in Nagorno-Karabakh was discussed during the phone calls. But Russia’s Deputy
Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko cautioned on Tuesday that it was yet too early
to speak about a possible meeting between the two South Caucasus leaders.
Putin’s remarks today came amid reports of fresh fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh
where ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijan have been making claims and
counterclaims about successful defensive and offensive operations that are
difficult to confirm independently.
Either side also accuses the other of targeting civilians in the armed conflict
that broke out on September 27.
Both sides have reported scores of deaths among civilians. Armenians have also
confirmed 1,177 deaths among their military. Azerbaijan does not disclose its
military casualties, considering them a wartime secret. Russia has estimated as
many as 5,000 deaths on both sides.
Armenia Sees Azerbaijan’s Advancement In Karabakh As ‘Ethnic Cleansing’
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian (archive photo)
Azerbaijan is seeking to take over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh by
annihilating its ethnic Armenian population, Armenia’s President Armen
Sarkissian charged while meeting with a group of local and foreign politicians,
public figures and journalists in Yerevan on Wednesday.
As quoted by his press office, Sarkissian stressed that “Azerbaijan’s claims
that they are liberating their territories has, in fact, another internationally
accepted formulation, which is called ‘ethnic cleansing’.”
“They are now destroying schools, hospitals, committing inhumane acts, taking
away human lives: of the elderly, children and young people,” the Armenian
president said, emphasizing that “Armenians have lived in Nagorno-Karabakh for
thousands of years.”
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the
Italian La Republica newspaper that Baku will guarantee the security and better
life for ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“I have repeatedly said that all residents of Nagorno-Karabakh will continue to
live there peacefully and with dignity. Armenians are our citizens,” Aliyev
said, as reported by AzerTac state news agency.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
“Thousands of Armenians live in various places in Azerbaijan, mainly in Baku.
Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh can rest assured that their security will
be guaranteed and that they will have a better financial situation and better
life than today,” the Azerbaijani leader said.
The remarks by the two countries’ leaders came amid reports of fresh fighting in
Nagorno-Karabakh where ethnic Armenian forces claimed to have repulsed two
attacks by Azerbaijan troops in the southern direction on November 4 morning and
afternoon, destroying several Azeri tanks and other materiel.
Azerbaijan, meanwhile, denied losing any tanks in the reported battles, on the
contrary, claiming its successful operations, in particular, in the Khojavend
(Martuni) direction. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry denies its forces target
civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Heavy Fighting Reported In Nagorno-Karabakh
An ethnic Armenian artillery unit during a combat in Nagorno-Karabakh (archive
photo)
Ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh have reported heavy fighting with
Azerbaijani troops attempting to advance in the direction of Shushi (Shusha), a
strategic town overlooking the region’s capital, Stepanakert.
In a report disseminated on Wednesday morning the ethnic Armenian Defense Army
claimed that Azerbaijani commandos attempted a raid overnight towards the town
sitting on a mountaintop some 10 kilometers to the south of Stepanakert, but
were stopped in their tracks after meeting resistance from army units and
volunteers defending the approaches to the town.
“The advancing group suffered heavy losses and was thrown back,” the report
claimed.
“Actions on the encirclement and destruction of the group continue at this
moment,” it added.
Official reports coming from Azerbaijan do not refer to any fighting near
Shushi. According to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry, fighting of varying
intensity continued in the Tartar, Aghdam, Khojavend (Martuni), Zangilan and
Qubadli directions of the frontline.
Both armies claim to control “the operational-tactical situation” along the
frontline.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s Defense Army also claimed in its report that Azerbaijani
forces continued to shell civilian areas. It said there were wounded people
among civilians as a result of the shelling.
On November 3, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement
deploring Azerbaijan’s continued bombing of the civilian infrastructure in
Stepanakert and Shushi with the use of cluster munitions.
It said that the Stepanakert Mother and Child Healthcare Center was targeted, in
particular.
“The continuous targeting of Stepanakert’s medical facilities by the Azerbaijani
armed forces once again demonstrates the goal of Azerbaijan’s military-political
leadership to inflict maximum damage on the civilian population of Artsakh [the
Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh], especially women and children far away from
the frontline,” the ministry said.
“This is another manifestation of state terrorism carried out by a country which
through the efforts of Turkey has already turned itself into a hub of
concentration of international terrorist fighters in the South Caucasus. We
emphasize that amid the existential threats the people of Artsakh are facing,
the authorities and the Defense Army of Artsakh have the inalienable right to
defend their own people and to counterattack the enemy,” it added.
Azerbaijan denies targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in
Nagorno-Karabakh. In its turn it accuses Armenia and Armenia-backed forces in
Nagorno-Karabakh of shelling populated areas inside Azerbaijan, a claim denied
by Armenians.
Russia Calls For Ceasefire Control Mechanisms In Karabakh
• Aza Babayan
RUSSIA -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a joint press
conference with his Armenian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on
October 12, 2020.
A sustainable ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh would be difficult to achieve
without agreements on effective control mechanisms, according to Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov.
In an interview with the Russian Kommersant daily on November 3 Lavrov said that
such mechanisms could include the use of various electronic devices, a hot line
between Yerevan and Baku, observers under the auspices of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), operations with the participation of
military contingents.
“However, it has not yet been possible to agree on all the parameters,” he added.
Russia brokered the first of the three humanitarian ceasefires to halt ongoing
military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh on October 10. However, that ceasefire
as well as the two other agreements brokered by France and the United States
later last month collapsed within hours after entering into force.
The top Russian diplomat said that although it was not immediately possible to
achieve a sustainable ceasefire, Moscow will “continue to use all its influence
in the region to persuade Baku and Yerevan to sit down at the negotiating table.”
“Moscow once again calls on the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and
external partners to strictly respect the agreements on ceasefire, the creation
of a control mechanism and the resumption of a substantial negotiation process
with a specific timetable,” Lavrov said.
In the interview the Russian foreign minister also addressed the issue of
mercenaries from the Middle East involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting,
saying that the number of such fighters is approaching 2,000. He said that the
Russian leadership periodically raises this issue and that this issue was also
raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his telephone conversation
with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 27.
Lavrov once again stressed that Russia is against changing the format of the
mediation, which is currently led by Russia, the United States and France, but,
noting the important role and influence of Turkey on Azerbaijan, said that
“Moscow is working and will continue to work with Turkey to bring the parties to
the conflict to the negotiating table.”
“We will continue to use all the influence we have in the region, we will work
with our Turkish partners to stop the further unwinding of the military
scenario, establish a dialogue between the parties and convince Baku and Yerevan
to sit down at the negotiating table,” the top Russian diplomat said.
Earlier this week the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin held
separate telephone conversations with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian
and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, on November 1 and November 2,
respectively, and that “issues of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict were discussed in detail” during the phone calls.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, however, said that it is too
early to speak about a possible meeting between the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
According to him, at the moment negotiations on the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are being conducted at the expert level, primarily
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Rudenko once again stressed that Moscow stands for a political settlement of the
conflict.
“We definitely assume that there can be no military solution to this conflict,
that the solution should be a political, comprehensive one taking into account
the interests of all parties concerned,” he said.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Category: 2020
Targeting medical facilities demonstrates state-sponsored terrorism of Baku – MFA Armenia
00:37, 4 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The regular targeting of medical facilities of Artsakh by the armed forces of Azerbaijan, particularly Stepanakert is another demonstration of state-sponsored terrorism by a country that has already become a hotbed for terrorists in South Caucasus by the efforts of Turkey, ARMENPRESS reports spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Anna Naghdalyan said, referring to the bombing of major cities of Artsakh, Stepanakert and Shushi, by the Azerbaijani armed forces.
”On November 3 the Azerbaijani armed forces fired Smerch cluster warheads against the civilian objects of Stepanakert and Shushi, particularly in the direction of Stepanakert Maternal and Child Health Care Center, resulting in casualties.
The regular bombing of Stepanakert’s medical facilities once again shows that the goal of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is causing maximum deaths among the civilians of Artsakh, particularly women and children that are far away from the front line.
This is another demonstration of state terrorism which is being carried out by a country which, with the efforts of Turkey, has already become a concentration place for international terrorists and militants in South Caucasus.
We record that under the light of the existential threat facing the people of Artsakh, the authorities of Artsakh and the Defense Army have inalienable right to protect their people and retaliate”, Naghdalayan said.
Zelensky suspends contract for the supply of radar station components to Azerbaijan – ZN
21:56, 3 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suspended the contract between Ukrspecexport and Azerbaijan over the supplies of P-18 radar station components, ARMENPRESS was informed from ZN Ukrainian website.
According to the sources of the website, Zelensky gave an instruction to suspend the contract one month ago, when Azerbaijan launched an attack against Artsakh.
Italy’s Lombardy region recognizes independence of Artsakh
Italy’s Lombardy region recognizes independence of Artsakh
00:07, 4 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The Regional Council of Lombardy, Italy, has recognized the independence of Artsakh, ARMENPRESS reports member of the Regional Council of Lombardy Michele Usuelli wrote on his Facebook page.
”Lombardy Region is the first European region to support the recognition of the Artsak republic. This was our goal. The motion was approved by a large majority by the Lombardy Regional Council!”, he wrote, adding that the recognition of the Republic of Artsak (Nagorno Karabakh) could help create the conditions for a true and comprehensive peace negotiation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Massimiliano Floriani
‘We were ordered to slaughter every Armenian in the village’, captured Syrian mercenary says
10:59, 4 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. A captured Syrian mercenary who was fighting for the Azerbaijani military against Artsakh has testified how he, along with hundreds others, were recruited and sent through Turkey.
Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji, a resident of the village of Ziyadiya in the Jisr al-Shughur region of Idlib province of Syria, told Armenian investigators that he was promised a 2000-dollar monthly payment to fight against Armenians.
He is currently remanded into custody facing international terrorism charges, among others.
“15 days ago, in the evening, my friend Ibrahim, whom we call Abu Ahmad and whom I’ve known for a long time, from our neighboring village of Sahan came to my house. Abu Ahmad offered me to go to Azerbaijan for money, I asked him the purpose and he told me that military exercises are held there. I was promised a monthly 2000 dollar payment for taking part in military exercises. My family, my wife and my father, didn’t want me to go, while my brothers were unaware about this. Abu Ahmad said there are many other guys there, from the neighboring Sararif and Sahamn villages, who are in Azerbaijan for already a month,” Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji said.
He said he was ordered not to take anything with him, including ID.
The mercenary says he was then transported from the village of Ziyadiya to the Bab al Salam checkpoint, which is located in Syrian territory controlled by Abu Hamsha.
Nearly 500 people were gathered there, all of whom Syrian Arabs, he said.
“At 8 o’clock in the morning Abu Hamsha’s brother Seif arrived. When he arrived he said that they are not forcing us, that we are going for a monthly 2000-dollar payment, and whoever doesn’t want to go can return, but he said that if we decide to go to Azerbaijan and then express desire to return from there, he will shoot us in the legs and not allow us to return. Abu Hamsha’s brother then started choosing who will go,” the mercenary said, adding that the recruiter was selecting fighters aged between 20-40. Another detained Syrian mercenary had also mentioned in his testimony the name Abu Hamsha, whom he had identified as the commander of the Suleyman Shah brigade.
Along with 500 other mercenaries, Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji was taken to 10 large buses. Seif, who was accompanying them, told him that another group of 500 mercenaries had already departed for Azerbaijan earlier.
“We crossed the Syria-Turkey border through this checkpoint. Ethnic Turkish soldiers and people with civilian clothing were guarding the border checkpoint, they didn’t ask us anything, they didn’t check for documents, they only counted,” he said.
2,5 hours later they reached a civilian airport, where the 500 mercenaries were rushed onto two civilian planes flying under the Turkish flag. He said no one asked them anything at the airport. The mercenary says he saw Turkish soldiers there. After reaching a second civilian airport, they were taken on board other aircraft, this time flying under the Azeri flag, and again this happened without any security checks. The plane then landed in Azerbaijan.
In Azerbaijan, the 500 Syrian mercenaries were met by Azeri and Turkish soldiers and taken to a military base, where again both Azeri and Turkish soldiers were present.
“We could differentiate the Turkish soldiers from the flags on their uniforms. On the first day they gave us chains with numbers on them and took photos of us with these chains on our necks. On the second day they gave us uniforms and weapons in the military base. They gave us Russian-made assault rifles, PK machine guns and RPGs, sniper rifles and ammo. The high-ranking Turkish and Azerbaijani servicemen had body armor, but they didn’t give us any. They told us to get ready for deployment the next day. Let me mention that we had arrived to Azerbaijan on October 18, 2020,” the mercenary said during the questioning.
They were trained at the military base by the Azeri and Turkish troops.
“Our commander at the military base was Sheikh Ibrahim. On the third day, together with Sheikh Ibrahim we left the base and arrived in another military base which was about 4 hours away. There, Abu Hamsha was with Sheikh Ibrahim, and around 5 people armed with handguns were escorting them, and an additional 500 Syrian Arabs who came to fight for money were at this base. There were also Turkish and Azerbaijani servicemen there who were talking to Sheikh Ibrahim and Abu Hamsha. Abu Hamsha was leading the group and was responsible for the hired mercenaries coming from Syria to Azerbaijan,” he said.
Abu Hamsha told them not to spare anyone in the fighting.
“He told us we should slaughter, kill all Armenians, and meanwhile the Turkish and Azerbaijani servicemen were also coming and ordering us to kill and slaughter each and every Armenian. Abu Hamsha, as well as the Turkish and Azerbaijani servicemen, were telling us that each of us would receive an extra 100 dollars for beheading an Armenian. They also armed us with long knives. Those of us who were afraid were given some special drugs by the Azeri military, and they stopped feeling fear after taking them. I have personally witnessed how the Azerbaijani armed forces servicemen were giving the drugs to our Syrian guys, the drugs were round tablets, I haven’t tried it myself, but many of our guys did,” the Syrian mercenary said.
On the 7th day, they were taken on pickup trucks led by Abu Hamsha and Sheikh Ibrahim. Then, they walked around 7 kilometers. There, they were ordered to stand in formation at 6 meters distance from each other, remain silent and communicate only with gestures.
“We were escorted by Sheikh Ibrahim and two Azerbaijani servicemen. Sheikh Ibrahim told us that we must capture the Armenian village ahead of us, and we must slaughter all civilians and soldiers there. When we approached the Armenian village, we came under fire, and also mortar fire, in this period 15 of us were killed, the operation was a failure and we had to escape into the mountains. When we fled, I wasn’t wounded yet, we were lost, we went by a path until we found the Azerbaijanis who had accompanied us, they took us through some path, but during this the Armenians began shooting at us. I got wounded, I was wounded for 5 days, no one asked me anything, no one was interested in me. After three days, I began moving towards the Armenian positions, the Armenians gestured me from distance telling me I am safe, when I approached them they took me to their position, treated my wounds, gave me food and water. They took me to safety, they didn’t harm me, they helped and treated me well, may God bless them,” the mercenary said.
Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji, who days earlier was fighting against Armenians, is now expressing his gratitude to the Armenians for saving his life. He called on his Syrian compatriots not to get deceived and not to go to Azerbaijan to fight Armenians.
“I want to thank Armenians, they helped me, they treated me, they saved my life, we were wrong to have come here, they – the Armenians, are much better that we thought, they treated us, treated us well, may God bless them. I, Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji, am stating that anyone who is planning to go to Azerbaijan should not take that step, because Armenians are very good people, they saved me from death, they helped me. I am urging you all, if they try to deceive you and attempt to lure you with money against this country and Armenians, don’t go, even if you are poor, it is better to stay poor then to go to Azerbaijan and fight for money. The Azerbaijanis call the Armenians infidels, but they themselves are the infidels, we are infidels for coming here and fighting against these good people, I stayed wounded for five days in Azerbaijan and no one helped me, but the Armenians did, they helped me and treated my wounds,” he said.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Azerbaijan launches attacks in different directions, crushes and retreats – MoD
22:28, 3 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani armed forces, reinforced with mercenaries, launched attacks in almost all directions of the front line, but suffering great losses of military equipment and manpower, retreated, ARMENPRESS reports representative of the MoD Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan said in a press conference.
He added that Azerbaijan continued subversive penetration attempts in the direction of different villages, but with no success.
”Early in the morning, south of Martuni city the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to attack with the assistance of armored vehicles, air force, and artillery, but losing armored vehicles and a significant number of manpower, retreated to their initial positions. During the entire day our armed forces continued the elimination of hostile forces particularly with artillery fire.
In the northern direction, near Karvachar, the adversary attempted a subversive penetration attempt under smoke cover under the pretext of taking out the bodies of their victims, but they were detected and eliminated by long-range fire”, Hovhannisyan said.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1033816.html?fbclid=IwAR0BCAfNplNnhiFM8gl6rZd3BWX-cE9oElfcPpN6kACjOYqhomD2joDTFvo
Civilians wounded in latest Azeri heavy bombardment of Shushi
10:15, 4 November, 2020
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Major destructions and civilian casualties happened in the town of Shushi as a result of the latest Azerbaijani bombardment, the State Service of Emergency Situations of Artsakh said.
The Azerbaijani military used heavy artillery in striking the town.
“After midnight, parallel to military operations the Azerbaijani side resumed its plan of bombarding peaceful settlements. The Azerbaijani side used heavy artillery at Shushi. There are victims among the civilian population, and numerous destructions occurred in the town,” the emergency service said, adding that it will provide details on the wounded civilians.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
American-Armenians hold protest outside BGR lobbying company, urge to suspend ties with Azerbaijan
10:22, 4 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenians living in the United States held a protest outside BGR Group lobbying company, urging to suspend ties with Azerbaijan.
The protesters demanded to stop hiding the military crimes being committed by Azerbaijan against civilians in Artsakh and Armenia.
“BGR finances war crimes”, “Stop Aliyev regime”, the protesters said holding respective posters.
They were holding the flags of Armenia and Artsakh.
BGR Group represents Azerbaijan in Washington D.C. spreading fake news aimed at hiding Aliyev’s military crimes against the Armenian civilians.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
At least 46 civilians dead, 144 wounded in Artsakh since Azeri attacks began
12:50, 4 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. At least 46 civilians were killed and 144 others wounded in Artsakh since the Azerbaijani attacks began on September 27, the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan said at a November 4 news conference, presenting the civilian casualties.
“During a fact finding mission we recorded at least 46 killed civilian persons, at least 144 civilian wounded persons. A part of the Azeri attacks were carried out using cluster munitions, a type of weapon banned under international humanitarian law, especially in case of using it near civilian facilities. An overwhelming majority of our victims were killed or wounded from these types of weapons,” Beglaryan said.
Significant damages were inflicted upon the real estate and personal property of citizens, as well as public and industrial infrastructure, he said.
“More than 13800 units of private real estate was damaged, more than 3100 units of infrastructure, public and industrial facilities were damaged, including power supply stations, networks, water supply and gas supply infrastructure. At least 2100 cars or other personal property was damaged,” he said.
Beglaryan said that Azerbaijan continues to ignore the rules of international humanitarian law and political agreements and carries on deliberate attacks on civilian population and infrastructure of Artsakh.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Artsakh forces repel Azerbaijani sabotage assault team in Shushi direction
09:34, 4 November, 2020
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The Artsakh Defense Army says the situation overnight November 3-4 was “relatively stable but tense” in all directions of the frontline.
The Azerbaijani armed forces continued bombarding civilian settlements with rocket-artillery strikes, in addition to attacking Defense Army positions.
Civilians were injured.
“After midnight an Azerbaijani sabotage team attempted to achieve success in the direction of Shushi, but facing the resistance of the Artsakh regular army and volunteer troops the enemy suffered heavy losses and was repelled,” the Defense Army said. It added that the Artsakh troops are now encircling and eliminating the Azeri raid team.
“The Defense Army units are in control of the tactical situation along the entire frontline.”
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan