Armenia accused Azerbaijan on Sunday (October 18th) of having violated a "humanitarian truce" which had just entered into force in Nagorno Karabakh by bombing the region. 

"The enemy carried out artillery fire in the north direction between 12:04 a.m. and 2:45 a.m. (8:04 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. GMT Saturday) and launched rockets towards the south between 02:20 a.m. and 2:45 a.m.," the ministry spokeswoman said on Twitter. Armenian Defense Officer Shushan Stepanyan.

Azerbaijan did not immediately react.

Once again violating the humanitarian ceasefire, the enemy fired artillery shells in the northern direction from 00:04 to 02:45, and fired rockets in the southern direction from 02:20 to 02:45.

- Shushan Stepanyan (@ShStepanyan) October 17, 2020

Hours earlier, Armenia and Azerbaijan had announced a "humanitarian truce" from midnight Saturday, October 17, according to statements from the foreign ministries of the two countries.

"The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have agreed on a humanitarian truce from October 18 at midnight local time," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry confirmed the information in an identical statement.

Emmanuel Macron "greeted" on Saturday evening the humanitarian truce announced by Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Elysee said in a statement.

After French mediation with Russia and the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan announce a humanitarian truce this evening.https: //t.co/zRAXn1ojkB

- Elysee (@Elysee) October 17, 2020

French mediation

The French presidency adds that this truce was concluded "at the end of a French mediation conducted over the last days and hours in coordination with the co-presidents of the Minsk group".

"This cease-fire must be unconditional and strictly respected by both parties. France will be very attentive to it and will remain committed so that hostilities cease on a lasting basis and that credible discussions can quickly begin," adds the French presidency.

The French president had several times on the phone on Saturday (October 17th) Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pachinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev.

A fragile truce

For a week, a first humanitarian truce agreement negotiated under the aegis of Moscow to end the conflict that began on September 27 between Azerbaijanis and Armenian separatists from Nagorno-Karabakh had never been applied.

And Azerbaijan swore Saturday, October 17 to "avenge" the death of thirteen civilians in the night bombardment of Gandja, the second city of the country, further escalation of the conflict.

Washington and Paris, which together with Moscow form the Minsk group, insisted again since Friday evening on the need to stop hostilities.

Nagorny Karabakh or Nagorno-Karabakh, mainly populated by Christian Armenians, seceded from Azerbaijan, a Turkish-speaking Shia Muslim, shortly before the breakup of the USSR in 1991, leading to a war that left 30,000 dead.

A ceasefire, punctuated by clashes, had been in effect since 1994.

With AFP

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