Nagorno-Karabakh | US-brokered ceasefire collapses shortly after it’s put in force

Defence Redefined

26/10/2020

Armenia and Azerbaijan have blamed each other for violating the latest ceasefire in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, minutes after it was put in force on October 26.

The US-brokered truce, announced by Washington on Sunday, was the same as the other two truces agreed earlier this month, with hostilities starting almost immediately after the agreement.

Within minutes of the implementation of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan accused Armenian forces of bombing the town of Terter and nearby villages, while the Armenian Defence Ministry said that its artillery had bombed various parts of the country.

In a Facebook post, Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan insisted that his country “continues to strictly adhere to the ceasefire”.

The Armenian side continues to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regime.

— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) October 26, 2020

Hikmet Hajiyev, one of the representatives of the President of Azerbaijan, stated that Armenia is trying to “maintain the status quo based on the occupation”, adding: “Azerbaijan is exercising restraint.”

On October 26, at 08.05, the Armenian armed forces violated the new humanitarian ceasefire and shelled the units of the Azerbaijani Army located in the Safiyan village of Lachin from the direction of Lachin city. & mdash; Azerbaijan MOD (@wwwmodgovaz) October 26, 2020

On Sunday, new hostilities broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces, with both sides blaming each other for violating the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

The ongoing war that began on September 27 has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers and civilians on both sides, while several cities have suffered enormous damage. Now, it seems, politics cannot help resolve the conflict. 

Read also: Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Ankara to send troops to Azerbaijan if requested – Infographic