- 5
- 20.09.2023 09:08:00
- 2 min read
Gegam Stepanyan, the Commissioner for human rights in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, stated that 25 people were killed in the aftermath of Azerbaijan's “counter-terrorism” operation, which began on September 19.
According to him, this information was taken from the morgue of Hongandi (Stepanakert). The Ombudsman clarified that two of those killed were civilians.
The number of wounded, according to Stepanyan, exceeded 200. It is noted that these figures do not include the data of medical institutions in Askeran and Martuni, since it is not yet possible to establish contact with them.
More than 7 thousand residents were evacuated from 16 settlements in the districts of Askeran, Martakert, Martuni and Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanyan added.
On September 19, Azerbaijan announced the start of “local counterterrorism measures” in Nagorno-Karabakh in order to “restore the constitutional system”. During the day, Nagorno-Karabakh was extensively shot down. In the evening, Baku reported that “more than 60 combat positions” were taken into control in Karabakh.
The unrecognized Republican government appealed to Baku with a proposal to start a ceasefire and negotiations” to resolve the current situation". In response, Azerbaijan stated that the authorities were ready to meet “representatives of the Armenian population living in the Karabakh region of the country.” At the same time, Baku insisted that it had no intention of stopping hostilities until the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh government was dissolved. Azerbaijan is also calling for the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the region.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Yerevan would not engage in hostilities. He added that Nagorno-Karabakh does not have an Armenian army.
