Nagorno-Karabkah: the capital Stepanakert bombarded despite the ceasefire
Despite the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, its capital, Stepanakert, suffered bombardments on October 10, 2020. ARIS MESSINIS / AFP
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Stepanakert, the regional capital of Nagorno-Karabakh under the control of Armenian separatists, was the target of bombing this Saturday evening, October 10.
However, a ceasefire negotiated in Moscow had entered into force after two weeks of intense fighting.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating it.
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Seven heavy explosions were heard around 11:30 p.m. local time, shaking the ground throughout the city.
Immediately after this salvo, the warning sirens sounded for several minutes to call on the inhabitants to take refuge in the cellars and shelters.
Silence then fell on Stepanakert, plunged into the most complete darkness.
Immediately after the entry into force of the ceasefire on Saturday morning, the Armenian Defense Ministry accused the Azerbaijani forces of having "
launched an attack at 12:05
".
"
Armenia is flagrantly violating the ceasefire
," replied the Azerbaijani army, later accusing the Armenian forces of having launched an offensive, repulsed.
However, the situation had remained unusually calm that day in Stepanakert, which had been subjected to regular bombardments for two weeks, including heavy rocket fire.
Truce confirmed, according to Moscow, but "
temporary
"
"
The parties reaffirmed their attachment to the ceasefire agreement,
" Moscow insisted in a statement in the evening, adding that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on the phone with his two counterparts.
This cease-fire should make it possible to exchange prisoners of war and the bodies of victims.
According to a senior Azerbaijani official, the calm was only "
temporary
": "
it is a humanitarian ceasefire to exchange bodies and prisoners, it is not a (real) ceasefire
" , he indicated, affirming that Baku did
not intend to retreat
.
When the truce was announced, Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov had affirmed that the two camps had committed themselves "
to substantial negotiations to quickly reach a peaceful settlement
" of the conflict, with the mediation of the three co-presidents (France, Russia, United States) of the OSCE Minsk Group.
These negotiations will have to "
resume without preconditions
", insisted the spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agnès von der Mühll.
►
To listen: Karabakh conflict: energy issues behind the scenes
The fear is to see this conflict internationalize, Ankara encouraging Baku to the offensive and Moscow being bound by a military treaty with Yerevan.
The
Turkey
is also accused of having sent the pro-Turkish fighters from Syria to fight alongside Azerbaijanis, that Baku denies.
Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory mostly populated by Armenians,
seceded from Azerbaijan
after a war that killed 30,000 people in the 1990s. Baku has accused Yerevan of occupying its territory, and the outbreaks of violence are regular.
The fighting between the Nagorno-Karabakh troops, supported by Yerevan, and the Azerbaijani forces since September 27, have been the deadliest with more than 450 confirmed deaths, including about fifty civilians.
A balance sheet that could actually be much heavier.
►
To read also: Cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh: "Putin's comeback" on the international scene
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