France recalls Ambassador from Turkey

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 21:03,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. France has recalled its Ambassador from Turkey for consultations following the incident that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that French President Emmanuel Macron needs ”mental treatment”, ARMENPRESS reports AFP agency informs.

”President Erdoğan’s comments are inadmissible. Impoliteness and rudeness are not a method. We demand Erdoğan to change his policy, because it’s dangerous in all respects”, an official from  Élysée Palace told AFP.

He added that the Ambassador will also meet with Emmanuel Macron to discuss the situation.

No heavy clashes occurred on front line, Artsakh neutralizes subversive group – War map

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 22:27,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. No heavy clashes occurred on Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on October 24, ARMENPRESS reports representative of MoD Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan said in a press conference.

”Azerbaijan started military operations in the northern direction, no heavy clashes took place until midday. During the day they launched powerful artillery fire and skirmishes occurred. No fierce clashes occurred in the southern direction as well’’, Hovhannisyan said.

According to him, a subversive group was neutralized south from Martuni and north from Hadrut, but fighting against subversive groups continues in that section.

”The adversary initiated attacks a number of times in the tactic of local offensives, using different types of military equipment. The attempts were prevented and repelled, in some sections the adversary retreated. A number of armored and non armored vehicles were destroyed”, Hovhannisyan said.

 

U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan warns its citizens of kidnapping and terrorism risks

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 22:35,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The U.S. Embassy in Baku has warned its citizens and foreigners about kidnapping and terrorism risks, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Embassy.

”The U.S. Embassy in Baku has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Baku, including against hotels such as the J.W. Marriott Absheron, as well as potentially other locations in Baku.  U.S. citizens are advised to exercise heightened caution in locations where Americans or foreigners may gather.

Actions to Take: 

  • Exercise caution and remain vigilant.
  • Avoid crowds.
  • Keep a low profile.
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Stay alert in locations frequented by foreigners.
  • Monitor local media for updates”.

On October 23 the U.S. Embassy in Turkey issued a similar statement.




Azerbaijan waging informational war with FB account with 72 Likes – Aliyev’s inglorious fakes

Azerbaijan waging informational war with FB account with 72 Likes – Aliyev’s inglorious fakes

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 22:54,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Parallel with the Turkey-sponsored military aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh, Azerbaijan has activated its army of fake accounts in social networks, the number of which rises every day.

ARMENPRESS has selected some of them, which were created during the war a prior to it, spreading obviously false information.

The fake pages and accounts created by Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev have come into the focus of even the leadership of Facebook. Still on October 9 Facebook deleted 589 accounts, 7906 pages and 447 Instagram accounts that were linked with Azerbaijan. The official statement of Facebook said the comments made by the banned pages were often about regional and international news, the government’s policy, the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the activities of Armenia during the last escalation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as were praising Ilahm Aliyev and New Azerbaijan Party. ”They also criticized the opposition, the leaders of which were accused of treason and denied the accusations of human rights violations in Azerbaijan”, Facebook said.  

Some Azerbaijani fake accounts still remain, trying to spread disinformation about the military operations. Below we present some of them.

EU News and Middle East News

This Facebook account that seems to be a European news account at first glance, in reality is Azerbaijani. One can easily understand it by reading a few publications. It spreads obvious pro-Azerbaijani and pro-Turkish materials, but they are so far from reality that the reader can think that Azerbaijan and Turkey have conquered entire Europe and Asia, and now are moving to America.

Interestingly, the account has a history of 2.5 years. It was created on April 21, 2018, but has just 270 Likes and 300 followers. Given the population of Azerbaijan of 10 million, the numbers are not so promising.  

News Armenia

Despite its name and the profile picture of the Armenian flag, it’s also Azerbaijani fake account. It’s also not so interesting for Azerbaijanis, which is proved by the number of Likes and followers of the account.

The account spreading disinformation and xenophobia against Armenians was created on October 12, 2020, in the period of the war. During the 12 days the account was able to collect 476 Likes and 641 followers. Those who make comments under the publications of the account are mainly Armenians, urging to ”report” the Azerbaijani account.

Azerbaijani Armed Forces – Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri

The account called ”Azerbaijani Armed Forces” is one of those created during the war, October 10, 2020. It has an obvious tendency of spreading disinformation. Despite the fact that the account is relatively new, there are numerous pro-Azerbaijani and pro-Turkish publications.

Those managing the account have made useless efforts. During the two weeks of the existence it managed to gather 72 Likes and 100 followers.

Let’s stop glorification of Nazism (Stop glorification of Nazism)

This account has ‘’quite a big audience’’ for a country with 10 million populations. It was created on April 20, 2020 and has managed to collect 1483 Likes and 1538 followers, and this under the light that the managers of the account spare no money for advertising their publications. This Azerbaijani account wastes time, trying to slander the horror of the Turkey Garegin Njdeh and the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia.

 

There are many similar accounts on different social media, but they are banned almost every day by real Armenian users. In informational front Azerbaijan has lost long ago. It should be noted for justice that it’s hard to ”struggle”, using an account with 72 Likes given that Facebook has 2.5 billion active users.

Artsakh’s MFA applies to ICRC over footages released by Azerbaijan

Artsakh’s MFA applies to ICRC over footages released by Azerbaijan

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 22:04,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh appealed to the Stepanakert Office of the Mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on October 23 in connection with the publication in the Azerbaijani mass media of videos of soldiers of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh and a civilian held captive by the Azerbaijani side, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh. 

The need for the ICRC representatives to visit the prisoners of war and the hostage held captive in Azerbaijan and to ensure compliance by official Baku with its obligations under international humanitarian law regarding the captives’ treatment and conditions of their detention was underlined.

Azerbaijani military fires Smerch heavy MLRS at civilians in Artsakh’s villages

Azerbaijani military fires Smerch heavy MLRS at civilians in Artsakh’s villages

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 09:43,

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani armed forces are bombarding a number of villages of Martuni region, including the village of Karmir Shuka, with the Smerch heavy multiple rocket launchers, the State Service of Emergency Situations of Artsakh said.

The Azeri troops continued firing at the civilian population of Martakert and Martuni overnight October 22-23, it said.

“As a result of the bombardment of the town of Martakert two homes in an apartment building were ablaze,” the service said, adding that firefighters were able to extinguish the fire quickly and saved the other adjacent apartments from destruction.

According to preliminary information the Azeri forces used Grad multiple rocket launchers in striking Martakert. There are no victims from this bombing.

At sunrise, the Azeri forces began bombarding the villages of Karmir Shuka and Taghavard in the Martuni region with Smerch multiple rocket launchers.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Ex-lawmaker who joined Artsakh military amid Azeri attack killed in action

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 11:21,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Former lawmaker Davit Matevosyan, who joined the Artsakh military amid the Azeri attacks, has been killed in action, his daughter announced on social media.

“My father, who dedicated his life for building the free and happy Armenia, has died for Armenia,” Hermine Matevosyan said.

Davit Matevosyan was 60 years old.

He served in the Armenian parliament as a nonpartisan lawmaker from the Hanrapetutyun (Republic) faction in the mid-1990s.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenians in Turkey appear under target of hate speech and threats: MP Paylan among them

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 11:54,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Hate speech and threats to Armenians in Turkey have intensified amid the ongoing Turkey-backed Azerbaijani aggression on Armenia and Artsakh.

Ethnic Armenian MP of the Turkish parliament Garo Paylan, in an interview to Duvar, stated that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has created an “ordinary hate atmosphere” in the country.

The news agency noticed that Garo Paylan is also under target in Turkey for supporting the ceasefire, calling for peace.

Paylan said various identities, citizens of various faiths and beliefs live in Turkey. “However, the current administration, unfortunately, continues running its policy having nationalist, racist and religious direction”, Paylan said.

At the time when the Turkish government stands by Azerbaijan in the war around Nagorno Karabakh, Armenians in Turkey have appeared under the target of hate speech and threats. “In such situation when Turkey is standing by Azerbaijan and when hate speech is applied on Armenians, we feel the pigeon’s anxiety as once said our beloved Hrant Dink. Unfortunately, we feel the deepest anxiety of the pigeon these days”, Garo Paylan said.

He said peaceful civilians suffer during the war, adding that he sees the solution of the issue on the peace table.

On September 27 Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, launched a massive attack against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), by using all its ammunition, targeting also the civilian infrastructures both in Artsakh and Armenia. There are confirmed reports that there are mercenaries in the Azerbaijani army brought from Syria by Turkey for fighting against the Armenian side.

On October 10 an agreement has been reached in Moscow between the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers on cessation of hostilities in the NK conflict zone for humanitarian purposes. However, minutes after the agreement entered into force Azerbaijan again launched attacks against Artsakh and till now continues violating the humanitarian truce.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Sarkissian, Macron emphasize need to implement truce deals over Karabakh

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 12:02,

PARIS, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone a day after he visited Brussels to meet with the NATO and EU chiefs.

[See video]
Sarkissian told Macron that Armenia highly appreciates the efforts and stance of France as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair and personally Macron in the NK conflict resolution issue.

The Armenian President underscored that the Turkish-backed Azeri attacks on Artsakh, including on civilians and civilian infrastructure, continues and has led to many victims among the peaceful population.

“The President of Armenia expressed deep concern over Turkey’s military-political support to Azerbaijan, stressing that such volume of Turkey’s involvement as a third party is escalating the situation even more and is jeopardizing regional stability and security,” Sarkissian’s Office said in a readout. He said that the Islamist mercenaries from terrorist organizations whom Turkey deployed to fight from the Azeri side pose a special threat to the region and these fighters could potentially end up in some other countries, including in Europe later on.

Macron also expressed concern over the ongoing military actions and the situation.

Sarkissian and Macron concurred that there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the NK conflict, and highlighted the need for implementing the agreements around the cessation of hostilities.

The presidents underscored the OSCE Minsk Group’s role in the resolution of the conflict and highlighted the need to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible under the Co-Chairmanship of the Minsk Group.

Sarkissian and Macron also praised the “unique Armenian-French relations that continue developing in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1032508.html?fbclid=IwAR2nbOg_O5wcbbfKkfJy0JWIawyBDFVnTNLAUQjV8BhMS7lf_HQaa21Dk1c

Human Rights Watch: Azerbaijan used cluster munitions in Nagorno Karabakh

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 12:20,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has repeatedly used widely banned cluster munitions in residential areas in Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights Watch said, summing up the on-site investigation in Nagorno Karabakh in October 2020.

Human Rights Watch documented four incidents in which Azerbaijan used cluster munitions.

“The continued use of cluster munitions – particularly in populated areas – shows flagrant disregard for the safety of civilians,” said Stephen Goose, arms division director at Human Rights Watch and chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition. “Cluster munitions should never be used by anyone under any circumstances, much less in cities, due to the foreseeable and unacceptable harm to civilians.”

In the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights Watch is investigating whether all sides of the conflict adhere to international humanitarian law, which requires armed forces to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and between military objects and civilian objects, at all times. As such, indiscriminate attacks are prohibited, including attacks which employ a method or means of combat which cannot be directed at a specific legitimate military target. Human Rights Watch has made repeated requests to the Azerbaijani government for access to conduct on-site investigations, but access has not yet been granted.

Human Rights Watch examined remnants of the rockets, impacts, and remnants of submunitions that exploded, as well as dud submunitions that failed to function at several locations in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh. Human Rights Watch also examined photographs taken in the town of Hadrut of a rocket, impacts, and remnants of submunitions that exploded, and a dud submunition that failed to explode. Human Rights Watch also spoke to six people who witnessed the attacks.

Residents of Stepanakert told Human Rights Watch that attacks using cluster munitions began on the morning of September 27 in a residential area no more than 200 meters from the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross.  

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1032510.html?fbclid=IwAR2lh-n53szXNk2g7iqEwKTpzv3tb0TplIjcaYxiCS7kDImCsEt0MGFPIRk