Strike on Azerbaijani is tragedy - Chairperson of Migration, Refugees, Displaced Persons Council of PACE

By Trend

The strike on the Azerbaijani town of Barda, reportedly killing 21, is a tragedy, Pierre-Alain Fridez, Chairperson of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said, Trend reports citing PACE.

“The humanitarian consequences of the conflict over the Nagorno Karabakh region are deeply worrying. The situation will only get worse unless the parties involved, not only agree to a ceasefire, but keep to it,” Fridez said.

Fridez reported that he has put the issue on the agenda of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, so that parliamentarians from the 47 member States of the Council of Europe can follow the situation carefully.

“Winter is around the corner, and this is an avoidable humanitarian tragedy unfolding in front of us, but if all sides work together, with help from the international community, solutions can be found,” Fridez concluded.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. Currently, Azerbaijan continues the liberation of its territories from Armenian troops.

Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian Armed Forces.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.