Baku, October 4, AZERTAC

Armenia’s political-military leadership continues to carry out war crimes against Azerbaijan, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev has told AZERTAC.

“The Armenian armed forces have fired missiles from the Armenian territory into the Azerbaijani city of Ganja. They deliberately and purposefully shelled the city of Tartar and the city of Horadiz of Fuzuli district using heavy artillery and missiles,” he said.

The Presidential assistant noted that the Armenian armed forces once again fired missiles from Armenia’s territory on residential settlements in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Fuzuli and Jabrayil districts, which resulted in fatalities and injuries among civilians.

“During the recent days, over 10,000 pieces of projectiles and missiles of various types were launched on Azerbaijan’s densely populated settlements. Over 500 private houses were completely destructed or seriously damaged.

The massive bombardment of Azerbaijani settlements by Armenia without any military necessity is not incidental, it is being deliberately implemented. The systematic bombardment of residential settlements by Armenia proves that this plan has been prepared preliminarily and included in combat and firing program of the Armenian armed forces,” Hikmat Hajiyev said.

“The Azerbaijani side, guided by international humanitarian law and Geneva Convention, has warned the Armenian military leadership for several times through relevant international organizations to avoid from firing residential settlements and civilian population using artillery and missiles. They have not followed it, once again demonstrating hypocrisy. It shows clearly, once again, that Armenia’s goal is to deliberately target civilians.

Most of artillery and missile attacks are carried out from artillery bases near the town of Khankendi. The Azerbaijani Armed forces destroy the firing stations through targeted and exact fires and take adequate measures in order to provide safety of civilians.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that the presence of the Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan continues to be a great threat to regional peace and safety. Armenia’s political-military leadership is a threat to the entire region.

To ensure lasting peace in the region, the Armenian troops must be completely withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in accordance with of the UN Security Council resolutions”, the Presidential assistant added.