Published 06:41 IST, October 30th 2020
Azerbaijan refutes allegations about conducting airstrikes on Nagorno-Karabakh settlements
In response to accusations made by the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Azerbaijan has said that its forces didn't fire missiles on Karabakh settlements
In response to accusations made by the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Azerbaijan has said that its forces did not fire missiles on settlements in Karabakh. As per reports, the Azerbaijan defence ministry added that the country's army complies with humanitarian law at all times and that it only responds with appropriate strikes against enemy firing positions.
Azerbaijan claims accusations made against it false
On October 29, the State Service for Emergency Situations of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic made claims that the Azerbaijani army had launched strikes against several of his settlements. However, the claims have been refuted by Azerbaijan which said the false accusations are an attempt to divert attention from the fact that Armenia has been shelling Azerbaijani settlements.
Both sides have continued to accuse each other of violating multiple ceasefire agreements since the conflict was a drastic escalation in September. The most recent ceasefire agreement was brokered by the US and signed on Sunday, October 25 after two previous Russian-backed ceasefire agreements failed. But even the US-brokered ceasefire agreement was followed by reports that both countries violated it.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have clashed over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region for decades. Internationally, the region is recognised to be a part of Azerbaijan but it is controlled by ethnic Armenians. It was only last month that clashes between the two countries intensified with hundreds of casualties on both sides.
The International community has looked upon the conflict with shocked responses and urged both countries to agree to a ceasefire and enter into dialogue. Even the UN Secretary-General has weighed into the conflict and had ‘welcomed’ the last ceasefire agreement between the two countries. Guterres also requested both parties to allow safe access to humanitarian workers in order to provide assistance to civilians in the region.
(With ANI inputs, Image AP)
Updated 06:40 IST, October 30th 2020