Nagorno-Karabakh reports intensified shelling

In the evening on October 26, the fire intensity on the frontline increased; and the dwelling settlements of the Martuni, Martakert and Askeran Districts were shelled, the Nagorno-Karabakh's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reported. Residents of Stepanakert have stated that they had not trusted the next ceasefire agreement.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today, at 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (6:00 a.m. local time), a new agreement on the humanitarian truce in the Karabakh conflict zone has entered into force. The parties to the conflict have promised to adhere to the ceasefire agreement this time. However, within the first hours, they have accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

“The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have used their 'Grad' (Hail) and 'Smerch' (Whirlwind) missile installations to attack the Martuni District, the city of Martakert and the villages of the upper Askeran sub-district. In the city of Martuni, the enemy has shelled a residential house," Unan Tadevosyan, a source from the MoD, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The information headquarters under the MoD of Nagorno-Karabakh told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "from 5:00 p.m., the fire intensity on the frontline has increased sharply; the enemy is using missile artillery and tanks in the direction of the positions of the Artsakh's (Nagorno-Karabakh's) Defence Army."

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent interviewed Stepanakert townspeople about the new ceasefire agreement.

"We've never believed that the Azerbaijani party would observe any truce, even a temporary one," said Lyuba Saakyan, a resident of Stepanakert.

"People don't believe in any truce; and the international community should wake up and understand that Azerbaijan and Turkey are just laughing at all the presidents of the so-called great powers," said Zhora Gabrielyan, another resident of the city.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 26, 2020 at 08:19 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.