Armenia and Azerbaijan trade accusations of breaking new truce
According to EURACTIV, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a new ceasefire on Sunday (18 October), as they tried for the second time in a week to bring a halt to fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The ex-Soviet neighbours agreed to a truce from midnight (2000 GMT Saturday) following a push by international mediators to end three weeks of heavy clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that broke from Azerbaijan’s control in the 1990s.
A previous ceasefire agreed a week ago fell apart amid mutual accusations and continued fighting that has left hundreds dead and forced tens of thousands from their homes.
The new ceasefire deal was announced after one of the deadliest attacks on civilians so far on Saturday, when a missile hit a residential area of Azerbaijan’s second city Ganja, killing 13 people including children.
Armenia’s defence ministry said Azerbaijani forces had violated the new ceasefire only minutes after it took effect, firing artillery shells and rockets in the early hours of Sunday.
Its foreign ministry said Azerbaijan had also launched an attack in a southern area of the Karabakh frontline “demonstrating to the international community its treacherous nature”.
Azerbaijan’s defence ministry accused Armenian forces of firing artillery and mortar shells and of launching early morning attacks along the frontline.
Armenia was in “gross violation” of the ceasefire and showing “open disrespect” for the efforts of international mdiators, the foreign ministry in Baku said.
The two sides had described the agreement as a “humanitarian truce” to allow for the exchange of prisoners and bodies.
Armenia said on Sunday that Azerbaijan had “categorically rejected” an attempt mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross to withdraw wounded soldiers from the front.
Azerbaijan said it was in talks with the ICRC and was prepared to unilaterally hand over some bodies of Armenian servicemen.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead.
The region’s declaration of independence has not been recognised by any country, even Armenia, and it is still part of Azerbaijan under international law.
The fighting that broke out three weeks ago has been the heaviest since a 1994 ceasefire and has threatened to draw in regional powers Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia.
