Armenia from its territory launched tactical ballistic missiles on Azerbaijan’s densely populated cities of Gabala, Kurdamir and Siyazan, said Hikmet Hajiyev, Azerbaijani presidential aide on Twitter.
According to him, innocent civilians and civilian facilities were the target of Armenia’s indiscriminate missile attack.
Air defence units intercepted 3 tactical ballistic missiles in the direction of Siyazan, 2 tactical ballistic missiles in the direction of Gabala, and 1 tactical ballistic missile in the direction of Kurdamir. Missiles were launched from the territory of Armenia.
Armenia from its territory launched Operative-Tactical missiles to Gabala, Kurdamir and Siyazan cities of Azerbaijan. Innocent civilians and civilian objects were target of Armenia's indiscriminate missile attack. #Armenia continues its #WarCrimes against civilians.
— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 22, 2020
On Oct 16, an Armenian ballistic missile attack on Azerbaijan’s second largest city of Ganja killed at least 15 civilians and injured over 50 people when they were in sleep.
Azerbaijani prosecutor’s office said 3 children, 4 women and 6 men were killed, 5 children, 20 women, and 23 men were injured,and 2 children were missing (Update: another child was found dead).
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Oct 17 condemned Armenian indiscriminate missile attacks on Azerbaijan’s densely populated cities, and called “unacceptable” “the tragic loss of civilian lives, including children, from the latest reported strike”.
“The tragic loss of civilian lives, including children, from the latest reported strike … on the city of Ganja is totally unacceptable, as are indiscriminate attacks on populated areas anywhere,” said a statement from the UN secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.
Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, has, along with 7 other districts of Azerbaijan, been under occupation of Armenian military forces since 1994.
Media reports and parts of missile demonstrated showed a Soviet-made Scud missile destroyed about 20 residential buildings in the city overnight, and rescuers spent hours looking for victims and survivors among the rubble.
Scud missiles date back to the 1960s and carry a large amount of explosives, but are notorious for their lack of accuracy.
In a televised address to the people, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the missile strike a war crime and warned the Armenian leadership that it would bear responsibility for it.
“Azerbaijan will give an answer, and this will be done exclusively on the battlefield,” Aliyev said.
Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan, but has been occupied by Armenia since 1990s along with another 7 districts of Azerbaijan.
Armenia has so far refused to comply with the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly and other organisations’s resolutions and calls for immediate and complete withdrawal from the occupied territories.
The latest outbreak began on September 27 and involved heavy artillery, missiles and drones after Armenia-controlled armed separatists launched an unprovoked attack on Azerbaijan .
Armenia missile attack on Azerbaijan’s Ganja caused great destruction and loss of life, APA reports.