ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan Ali Alizada has said that we are a peaceful nation and do not want war but the Armenian armed forces continue to target the civilian population in a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
Responding to questions at a Press Conference organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan in Islamabad on Thursday on the latest situation of “Armenian military aggression and attacks against Azerbaijan”, the ambassador said that as of October 7, in total 28 civilians including children and elderly had been killed and 144 civilians had been hospitalized with various injuries as a consequence of heavy artillery shelling by the Armenian armed forces.
Ambassador Ali Alizada said that civilian facilities such as houses, hospitals, medical centers, school buildings, kindergartens as well as graveyards have been subjected to indiscriminate shelling of armed forces of Armenia.
The ambassador said that we are fighting in our legitimate territory which had been occupied by the aggressor Armenia, and we demand an unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian army from our occupied territory.
“We want the implementation of United Nations resolutions which clearly say that Armenia is occupying the Azeri land,” he said.
Ambassador Ali Alizada said that Armenia always avoids to resolve the issues through negotiations and makes endeavors to sabotage any attempt to it.
“Armenia is not interested to resolve the conflict and avoiding negotiations,” he lamented.
Expressing gratitude to Pakistan for its unflinching support to Azerbaijan, the ambassador also mentioned the Armenian propaganda that Pakistani army is fighting alongside Azerbaijani forces against Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh.
The ambassador termed it a baseless propaganda and an attempt of Armenia to divert the attention from its aggression and debacle in the battle.
Earlier apprising the participants on the recent situation, the Defence Attaché of Azerbaijan Armed Forces to Pakistan Colonel Mehman Novruzov told that Armenia is using Kurdish fighters against Azerbaijan.
However, he added that Azerbaijan has seized very important heights and recaptured its many areas previously occupied by Armenia.
The Defence Attaché said that Azerbaijan has recovered 25 occupied villages from Armenia while more than 250 Armenian soldiers including officers have surrendered.
Colonel Mehman Novruzov further said that that a baseless propaganda is being hatched that Pakistan and Turkey are physically involved in the Azerbaijan-Armenia war. He said that both these Countries are our brothers and supporting us diplomatically and morally.
Prior to him, the Second Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) of the Embassy of Azerbaijan Mr. Samir Guliyev delivered the introductory remarks.
The following is the official statement released by the Azerbaijan Embassy Islamabad about the above mentioned Press Conference;
Introduction by 2nd Secretary Mr. Samir Guliyev
- On September 27, 2020 the armed forces of Armenia blatantly violating the ceasefire regime have launched another aggression against Azerbaijan;
- As a result of Armenian deliberate targeting of civilian population in the towns and villages, including Mingachevir, Ganja the largest cities of Azerbaijan and according to the information of 8 October 2020, 12:00, 31 civilians were killed and around 150 wounded, meanwhile 576 houses and 72 civilian facilities were destroyed.
- In order to repel another military aggression by Armenia and to ensure the security of its civilians, armed forces of Azerbaijan undertook counter-offensive measures.
- Trying to compensate serious losses apart from mercenaries, Armenia has taken steps to involve foreign nationals from different countries, mainly of Armenian origin, into its armed units illegally deployed in the temporarily occupied territories of Azerbaijan. This is a totally illegal action and according to the UN Security Council resolution No. 2178 (2014) these individuals are defined as “foreign terrorist fighters”.
- In most cases, the Government of Armenia and Armenian Diaspora organizations in third countries make calls on Diaspora members to expeditiously join armed units of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. They are organizing ticket sales and fund raising for this purpose.
Presentation by Military Attache Colonel Mehman Novruzov
- In order to ensure safety and security of civilian population, Azerbaijan Army has launched counter offensive peace enforcement operation against Armenian provocation.
- By 7 October 2020, Azerbaijan Army troops have liberated total of 25 villages and 1 city.
- For October 7, 2020 the Armenian Army has following losses: –
o Tanks & ACVs – 250
o Artillery & MLRS – 270
o Air Defence Systems – 60
o Command & Control Centers & Command Observation Posts – 11
o Ammunition Depot – 8
o Military vehicles – 150
o S-300 Air Defence System – 1
- Armenia spreads following fake information and groundless accusations towards Azerbaijan, trying to involve 3rd Parties in the conflict: –
o as if, Turkish troops are involved and Turkish F-16 take part in the ongoing military operations, which has no grounds and evidence.
o as if, Syrian terrorists are brought into Karabakh to participate in the operations.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly denied these accusations and stated that these are nothing more than fake information. Azerbaijan has 10 million population and Army with about 100 thousand manpower, which is sufficient number to fight a war with Armenian Forces, which is far less in number.
- Azerbaijan understands that using such groundless and nonsense fake information Armenia intends to overshadow recent achievements of Azerbaijan Army, as well as associate this operation with terrorism, thus divert international community’s attention from Armenia’s recent provocative misadventures.
- In fact, Azerbaijan has evidences from reliable intelligence sources that Armenia has transported hundreds of PKK and YPG-linked terrorists from various countries of Middle East and placed them in Nagorno-Karabakh to fight Azerbaijan. Recently, Azerbaijan troops have eliminated number of Kurdish fighters in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Remarks by Ambassador H.E. Mr. Ali Alizada
- The regular Armenian military aggression and attacks against Azerbaijan. UN Security Council’s and other international organizations’ resolutions and their demands on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. Armenia, acting contrary to negotiation process and is trying to consolidate the status quo regime based on occupation.
- The provocations carried out by the Armenian leadership, both in word and in deed, including the visit to occupied Shusha to participate in the inauguration of the self-proclaimed regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the provocative “Karabakh is Armenia” statement made in the occupied city of Khankendi, the introduction of a “new war for new territories” concept by the occupying country, putting forward 7 pre-conditions in the conflict settlement negotiations, as well as attempts to change the talks format, have dealt a blow to the conflicts settlement process mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.
- Counter-offensive operations of Azerbaijan against Armenian attacks are carried out within internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and in compliance with the 51st article of the UN Charter (right of self-defence). The responsibility for the escalation of the situation on the front line lies directly with the Armenian military-political leadership.
- As mentioned by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr.Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has no military targets in Armenia, the war, which began with the current provocations of the occupying country is being waged in the historical territories of our country, Azerbaijan’s counter-offensive operation is aimed at liberating our lands and forcing Armenia to make peace;
- Armenian Armed Forces in violation of the norms and principles of international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and the 1949 Geneva Conventions are directly targeting civilians & civilian infrastructure in order to provoke panic among Azerbaijani nation, but Azerbaijani nation is strongly united against Armenian aggression. Attacking civilians from its own territory (far away from conflict zone) Armenia aims to instigate Azerbaijan to retaliate and as a result to involve CSTO military block into the conflict, which Armenia is a member of;
- Azerbaijan urges the world community to take a principled stand, and condemn the next Armenia’s aggressive actions. This country, which does not comply with the norms and principles of international law is regularly targeting more cities and other civilian settlements. South Caucasus will never have peace and security until Armenia liberates the occupied lands;
- Thanks to Pakistan, Turkey for their unequivocal support and to other countries which put principle position and support Azerbaijan’s just cause. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!
