Nagorno-Karabakh: despite the ceasefire, Stepanakert affected by new bombardments

In Stepanakert, October 15, 2020, after a rocket fire.

Areg Balayan / ArmGov / PAN Photo / Handout via REUTERS

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2 min

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is hardly decreasing in intensity, despite the humanitarian ceasefire agreement obtained last Saturday in Moscow.

This Thursday, strikes again took place on the capital of the secessionist Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert.

The conflict erupted on September 27 after Azerbaijan launched an offensive to recapture part of the small republic mostly populated by Armenians and which was under its jurisdiction during Soviet times, and seceded after the fall of the 'USSR.

This new conflict has probably caused the death of several thousand people already, mainly soldiers.

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With our correspondent in Tbilisi,

The only place where the humanitarian truce had been more or less respected since its entry into force on Saturday noon was Stepanakert.

But this Thursday, the Azerbaijani strikes resumed on the small town, half deserted by its 55,000 inhabitants.

Rocket fire fell on her again this Thursday, a dozen loud detonations that hit the outskirts of the city.

According to the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, the enemy deliberately aimed at "civilian targets".

This further

on the Armenian side, as the Azerbaijani forces continue their offensive on the "line of contact", especially in the South-East and the North.

Baku announces the takeover of six new localities, in Karabakh itself and in two occupied districts around the secessionist province, which had been under Armenian control since the end of the 1988-94 war.

This is partly confirmed by the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinian, who acknowledged that the so-called Defense Army of Artsakh, Armenian name of Nagorno-Karabakh, had to withdraw from certain positions and that the situation is " very serious ".

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• Nagorno-Karabakh

• Armenia

• Azerbaijan

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