Armenia, Azerbaijan tensions rise in claims of new attacks

In another comment, Erdogan denied the deployment of fighters in the area, but Syrian war observers and Syrian-based opposition activists said that Turkey had hundreds of Syrian opposition fighters Nagorno-Karabakh. I confirmed that I sent it to.

As a sign of widespread conflict, Azerbaijani troops said they had destroyed the Armenian missile system on Armenian territory, which was deployed to target private areas.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said it reserves the right to target Azerbaijani military objects and military movements.

So far, Armenia and Azerbaijan have denied targeting each other’s territory in the battle for Nagorno-Karabakh, but the parties often disagree with the denial.

The spread of hostilities beyond the separatist territories is within Azerbaijan, but decades ago over Nagorno-Karabakh under Armenian-backed Armenian National Army since the end of the Sonderbund War in 1994. It can cause a dangerous spread of conflict. ..

Armenian troops have also controlled a significant portion of Azerbaijani territory outside the separatist territory.

Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced Azerbaijan’s “attempts to invade Armenia’s sovereign territory” and warned of “irreversible military and political consequences.”

Mutual criticism and threats have raised concerns about the safety of the strategic pipeline that brings Azerbaijan’s Caspian crude oil to Turkey and the western markets.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev threatened a “very heavy response” if Armenia “implemented a plan to destroy” Azerbaijan’s oil and gas pipeline.

Nagorno-Karabakh officials accused Azerbaijan of firing at a hospital in the area and called it a “war crime,” but did not elaborate on whether there were any casualties. Azerbaijani troops rejected Armenian claims.

A recent battle between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops broke out on September 27, marking the largest conflict expansion in more than a quarter of a century.

Despite many calls for peace, it killed hundreds.

Russia, which has a security agreement with Armenia, also has a warm relationship with Azerbaijan, and welcomed top diplomats from Armenia and Azerbaijan at a more than 10-hour talk that ended on Saturday’s armistice.

However, the deal soon collapsed, accusing both Armenia and Azerbaijan of breaking it in a series of attacks.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed his hope for a peace agreement in which Azerbaijan lifts the blockade of Armenia while Armenian troops relinquish control of Azerbaijan’s territories other than Nagorno-Karabakh.

He suggested that military observers could be deployed to help Russia end its hostilities, adding that both war sides clearly had to accept it.

However, Azerbaijan argued that it had the right to forcibly reclaim land after the efforts of the so-called Minsk International Intermediary Group, consisting of Russia, the United States and France, did not make any progress.

It actively promotes its ally Turkey to play an important role in future peace negotiations.

“The important thing is that Turkey is at this table. We talked with Russia and the Turkish president about the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia’s defense,” Aliev said in an interview broadcast Wednesday. The minister recently told the Turkish Defense Minister about it.

Turkey publicly supported Baku and vowed to help Azerbaijan regain its territory. Turkey’s new assertive role reflects Erdogan’s ambition to expand his country’s influence.

In a Wednesday call with Putin, Erdogan accused Armenia of attempting to “permanently” occupy Azerbaijan’s land, according to a statement from the Turkish leaders’ office.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Karin said in an interview on Tuesday that Ankara would support four-party peace talks involving Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The Minsk Group hasn’t been able to come up with a solution for the last 30 years. Will we wait another 30 years? In this case, we need to consider another mechanism,” says Karin.

Turkey’s prominent role in the conflict evoked painful memories in Armenia. An estimated 1.5 million people have died in Armenia in the 1915 massacre, deportation and forced march. The case is widely regarded by historians as a slaughter, but Turkey denies it.

Armenian Prime Minister Nicole Pasinian has accused Azerbaijan and Turkey of continuing their “Turkish slaughter policy” against Armenians.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is making diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution of the conflict.

“We urge both countries to carry out their agreed promises to a ceasefire and stop targeting private territories,” he said.

Laeticia Courtois, UN Permanent Observer of the International Committee of the Red Cross, has accused her of a surge in heavy weapons attacks on densely populated areas.

“We are seeing injuries and deaths to civilians, including children,” she said.

“The fire of this cannon from an aerial attack, including missiles, destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes, hospitals, schools and other major infrastructure.”

She added that roads, electricity, gas and telecommunications networks were also severely damaged and repairs would take years.

“In terms of humanitarian impact, we can see that the Azerbaijani community has affected about 200,000 people around their contacts,” Courtois said.

“Cities and towns outside the region are also affected by the bombardment that killed civilians. In Nagorno-Karabakh, at least 75,000 people are affected.”

She said continued artillery had complicated the movement of the ICRC team, but emphasized that she was ready to facilitate the delivery of the bodies of the war dead and the release of detainees.