Monday 4 April 2016

Armenian News... A Topalian... Breaking: Update on escalation in Karabakh



See video at http://news.am/eng/news/320245.html

news.am

02.04.2016 


President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan convenes extraordinary 
meeting of the National Security Council. He says at the moment 
the Armenian side has 18 casualties, nearly 35 soldiers have been
wounded. President says Armenia should sign agreement on mutual 
military assistance with Karabakh.

After pondering for a long time, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense 
formally accepted the first casualties announcing that 12 soldiers 
were killed. At present, however, Baku has admitted to the downing 
of solely one of its military helicopters and the destruction of just 
one of its tanks. In the meantime, the Nagorno-Karabakh defence 
army informs that the Armenian armed forces have destroyed three 
tanks and downed two military helicopters and two drones of the 
adversary.

The two Armenian boys, were wounded in the Azerbaijani shelling 
of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlements from late Friday night through 
Saturday morning, are in critical but stable condition. 11-year-old 
Gevorg Grigoryan and 12-year-old Vardan Andreasyan are in the 
intensive care unit at the children’s hospital in Stepanakert. 
Twelve-year-old Vaghinak Grigoryan, however, had died in this 
shelling.

The situation remains tense along the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line 
of Contact, and the battles continue.

The international community continues reacting to the unprecedented 
attacks which Azerbaijan has unleashed. The OSCE Minsk Group 
Co-Chairs have issued a statement strongly condemning the use of 
force, and they called upon the sides to stop shooting and take all 
necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground.

The EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini likewise issued a 
statement on the escalation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. She 
called on the parties to stop the fighting immediately and observe 
the ceasefire.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, 
had a telephonic conversation with his Russian colleague, Sergei 
Lavrov, and they discussed the current situation. In addition, Lavrov 
called on the parties to take actions toward stopping the violence 
in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

To remind, Azerbaijan launched outright offensive military actions 
along the Line of Contact between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani 
opposing forces, from late Friday night through Saturday morning, 
and using a variety of weaponry as well as artillery, armored vehicles, 
and air force. Not only the defensive positions of the Armenian armed 
forces, but also peaceful settlements were subjected to missile and 
artillery attacks.


Russia Today
April 2 2016
Heavy armor on streets in Nagorno-Karabakh amid escalation of
hostilities (VIDEO)


Footage recorded by Sputnik Armenia shows heavy armor moving in a
column along the streets of Stepanakert, the capital and the largest
city of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic, amid the recent
escalation in the region.

The situation around Nagorno-Karabakh sharply deteriorated overnight,
with reports of gun and mortar fire coming from the border with
Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of provoking the
escalation. 


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__aa.com.tr_en_world_azerbaijan-2Dretakes-2Dland-2Doccupied-2Dby-2Darmenia_548277&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=qQMWpob_Azbodx90IESw-2ca1xPKhxK6YAz78gTvIKI&s=12VOzYcsdXF-JRRsjQCg52gvWkofiP4pPc-em6xWHK0&e=


Voice of America
April 2 2016
Heavy Fighting Breaks Out Between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Heavy fighting has erupted between regional rivals Armenia and
Azerbaijan in the tense separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Media reports on Saturday quoted Azerbaijan officials as saying that
12 of its soldiers had been killed. Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian
said in a televised statement that 18 Armenian soldiers had been
killed. Both sides also reported civilian casualties.

Each side blamed the other for starting the fighting and violating a
two-decade-old cease-fire. Similar violence was reported last month.

Azerbaijan also confirmed that one of its military helicopters had
been shot down. There was no information on what happened to the crew.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry released a statement condemning the
cease-fire violations "in the strongest terms" and urged both sides to
show restraint.

He said the "unstable" situation showed why Armenia and Azerbaijan
must immediately enter talks on a comprehensive settlement sponsored
by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply disturbed" by
the fighting and also called for negotiations.

Other demands for restraint came from Russian President Vladimir Putin
and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

On Thursday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden met separately with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's Sarkisian on the
sidelines of a nuclear summit in Washington to express concern about
continued violence in the region.

Biden urged both leaders to engage in dialogue and emphasized the
importance of a comprehensive settlement for the long-term stability,
security and prosperity of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region is part of Azerbaijan but has been under
control of Armenian forces since 1994, when the two sides ended their
war over the territory. Despite years of negotiations, no formal
settlement has been reached and the situation in the area remains
volatile.

The two sides are separated by a demilitarized buffer zone, but each
side has accused the other of violating it numerous times. 


Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 2 2016
Azerbaijan retakes land occupied by Armenia

Turkey's Erdogan calls Azerbaijani counterpart after 12 soldiers
martyred in two days of fighting with Armenian forces

WASHINGTON/ BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan says it has reclaimed land occupied by Armenia during
clashes over Friday and Saturday which saw 12 Azerbaijani soldiers
martyred.

According to a statement from Azerbaijan’s defense ministry, said the
army launched operations in the Agdere, Terter, Agdam, Hocavend and
Fuzuli regions to protect civilian lives.

The ministry added that its forces had reclaimed some strategic hills
and residential zones.

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry also said six Armenian tanks and 15
cannons were destroyed and more than 100 Armenian soldiers killed or
injured.

The statement also said one of its MI-24 helicopters had been downed
by Armenian forces.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called his Azerbaijani
counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Saturday to pay condolences for the
soldiers martyred by Armenian forces along the border.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a six-year war over occupied Karabakh in
the early 1980s until a 1994 ceasefire.

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