Conflicts & War

At least 7 killed in Armenian airstrikes on Azerbaijan’s 2nd city: Baku

Baku, Oct 11 (efe-epa).- At least seven people were killed in an Armenian artillery strike on Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, Ganja, despite a ceasefire agreed between both counties, the presidency of Azerbaijan said on Sunday

“In the midst of night Ganja city came under missile attack (by) Armenia,” presidential advisor Hikmet Hajiyev wrote on Twitter. “Three residential buildings (were) destroyed. As of now more than seven civilians, as well as women, (have been) killed.”

Hajiyev said that 33 civilians, including children, had been “seriously wounded.”

“Armenia hides itself behind humanitarian ceasefire to attack Azerbaijani civilians,” he said.

The presidential advisor denounced the “indiscriminate” attack which had struck a “densely populated” area, accusing Armenia of engaging in “state level policy of terror.”

“Impunity of Armenia encourages it for further war crimes and military crimes,” Hajiyev said, adding, “Armenia must be stopped.”

Yerevan denied having perpetrated the attack and labelled the claims as “disinformation” being spread by Azerbaijan.

Armenia itself denounced the deaths of civilians, including women and a disabled child, at the hands of Azeri troops in the city of Hadrut, accusations that Baku have denied.

After a relatively calm Saturday, the capital of Karabakh, Stepanakert, was once again the scene of hours of attacks which also hit the districts of Martuni and Shusha.

The two sides on Friday in Moscow agreed to a ceasefire that took effect at noon Saturday to exchange prisoners of war and bodies of fallen soldiers.

Both sides have accused the other of violating the terms of the ceasefire and have announced military measures in response.

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has its origins in the collapse of the Soviet Union, when in the 1980s the majority Armenian population of the Azeri territory requested it be incorporated into Armenia proper.

The resulting conflict left over 25,000 dead.

The Armenian forces remained in control of the region when fighting ended in 1994. Armenian soldiers also occupied the territory between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan insists the only solution to the conflict is for Nagorno-Karabakh to be brought under its sovereignty. EFE-EPA

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