News, reports, media on combat in Karabakh. October 23, 2020

“Yes, in some areas we were forced to retreat because of this superiority, but we have losses because of this superiority. But the presence of a large volume of modern weapons still did not play a decisive role for the enemy, ”Artsrun Hovhannisyan said at a traditional briefing at the Armenian Single Information Center.

According to a representative of the Ministry of Defense, during the day the enemy fired at Martakert with adjacent villages, as well as the city of Berdzor, not far from which three shells fell.

“In the southern direction, for almost the whole day, the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces tried to attack in the lower reaches of the Vorotan River, several attacks were repelled. Several units scattered, trying to hide in the ravines. The enemy was driven back further south of Berdzor (Lachin). ”

In general, according to Hovhannisyan, tension persists, mainly local battles are taking place without clear front lines:

“The enemy is trying to attack roads and transport hubs. These attacks are neutralized by the Armenian forces. “

“The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan fully comply with the humanitarian ceasefire,” the ministry said.

The US President obviously had in mind the meetings of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Jeyhun Bayramov. Talks with the foreign ministers took place today.
Trump also said that he is participating in negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but he did not specify whether he spoke with the leaders of the two countries.
“I don’t want to talk,” said the US President.
However, he spoke about Armenia and the Armenians:
“We are talking with Armenia. We have very good relations with Armenia. Very good people live there. They are very motivated, incredible people. Let’s see what happens. “

The city of Martuni in Karabakh was shelled by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The shelling of Stepanakert has just begun.

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Mike Pompeo spoke about the importance of a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Karabakh, the continuation of negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Some details of the meeting were reported by the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

Mnatsakanyan at a meeting with Pompeo stressed that the aggression of the Azerbaijani side is taking place with the direct participation of Turkey. According to him, Turkey not only provides military-technical assistance to Azerbaijan, but also introduces armed terrorists into the region.

The Armenian Foreign Minister told the US Secretary of State about the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces during the hostilities: deliberate shelling of the civilian population and infrastructures of Karabakh, degrading treatment of civilians and prisoners of war.

“Azerbaijan’s violation of the ceasefire agreements and the continuation of hostilities against the people of Artsakh once again demonstrate Azerbaijan’s intention to resolve the issue by military means,” Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said.

Today in Washington, a meeting was held between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The parties discussed the escalation of the situation in Karabakh.

“The destructive policy of the Armenian side in the Karabakh issue, the shelling of the civilian population of Azerbaijan, the recruitment of foreign mercenaries and terrorists by Armenia was discussed,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.

In addition, the parties exchanged views on bilateral relations.

The Azerbaijani side used military aircraft to shell the peaceful settlement, the State Service reports.
In addition, the ministry’s statement says that a little earlier, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired from the Grad MLRS to the Karega community of the Kashatagh region and the Karega-Berdzor road in Karabakh. As a result, the community suffered material damage, and there were no casualties or injuries among the civilian population.
“There are no military facilities on this territory,” the statement of the State Service for Emergency Situations of Karabakh says.

The President of Azerbaijan announced the capture of 13 more settlements in four regions under the control of the Azerbaijani army.

On his Twitter account, he listed the following localities:

Khojavend region: Dolanar and Bunyadli villages;

Jabrayil region: villages of Dag Tumas, Nusyus, Halafli, Minbashili, Veyselli;

Zangilan region: Venedli and Mirzagasanli villages;

Gubadli region: the villages of Zilanly, Kurd Makhryzly, Muganly and Alagurshag.

Azerbaijan’s glorious Army liberated Dolanar and Bunyadli villages of Khojavend, Dag Tumas, Nusus, Xelefli, Minbashili and Veyselli villages of Jabrayil, Venedli and Mirzehasanli villages of Zengilan. Long live Azerbaijan’s Army! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) October 23, 2020

Azerbaijan’s glorious Army liberated Zilanli, Kurd Mahrizli, Muganli and Alagurshag villages of Gubadli. Long live Azerbaijan’s Army! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) October 23, 2020

Arayik Harutyunyan wrote an open letter to the President of Russia. The Karabakh President touched upon the last speech of Vladimir Putin at the Valdai Forum:

“In your speech, you stressed the following:“ This conflict began not just as an interstate conflict and a struggle for territories, it began with ethnic confrontation. Unfortunately, this is a fact when in Sumgait and then in Nagorno-Karabakh, cruel crimes were committed against the Armenian people. We must take all this into account as a whole ”.

Unfortunately, to this day Azerbaijan continues to pursue this policy of genocide. I ask you to do everything possible to end hostilities and resume political processes in the zone of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. ”

• “Nearly 5,000 deaths in total on both sides” – Putin on the Karabakh war

In October 2020, experts from the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch documented four cases of the use of cluster munitions against civilian settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The continued use of cluster munitions — especially in densely populated areas — demonstrates a flagrant disregard for the safety of civilians. Cluster munitions should under no circumstances be used by anyone, much less in cities, because of the predictable and unacceptable damage to civilians, ”said Stephen Goose, director of armaments at Human Rights Watch and chairman of the cluster munitions coalition.

The organization examined the remnants of missiles, shrapnel, fragments of exploded ordnance, as well as photographs proving the use of cluster munitions in Hadrut. Human Rights Watch has approached the government of Azerbaijan on several occasions with a request to grant access to its territory for an on-site investigation, but has still not received permission.

According to the press service of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan, since the beginning of hostilities in Azerbaijan, 63 civilians have died, another 298 people have been injured.

At night at the front, the usual tension was maintained, and artillery battles were fought in some sectors. According to the Ministry of Defense of Karabakh, “the operation to detect and destroy enemy sabotage groups, consisting of hired terrorists, continues.”

The statement of the Ministry of Defense also says that yesterday evening, “once again grossly violating the norms of international humanitarian law, the enemy forces fired at Askeran, and in the middle of the night they again struck Martuni.”

The town of Martuni, the village of Karmir Shuka and a number of neighboring villages of Karabakh are still under fire from the Azerbaijani armed forces.

The State Service for Emergency Situations of Karabakh reports that the Smerch and Grad multiple launch rocket systems are used to fire at civilians. As a result of a rocket attack in Martakert, two apartments in a residential building burned down. Rescuers managed to extinguish the fire, preventing its spread, there are no casualties.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet separately with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia this afternoon.

A meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is scheduled for 17.30 (15:30 CET), with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan at 18:30 (16:30 CET).

“During the day on October 22 and on the night of October 23, hostilities in the Aghderin, Fizuli-Hadrut-Jebrail and Gubadli directions of the front continued with varying intensity. The enemy fired at the defensive positions of the Azerbaijani army from small arms, mortars and cannons.

Currently, fighting continues along the entire length of the front, ”the press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

27th day since beginning of fighting in Karabakh.

• The President of Russia expressed his position on the conflict: “We have special ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan”;  “Our positions [with Turkey] do not coincide, because we believe that it is necessary to resolve controversial issues not with the help of weapons, but at the negotiating table.”

• “Nearly 5,000 deaths in total on both sides” – Putin on the Karabakh war

• The Azerbaijani army already controls the entire border with Iran, the President of Azerbaijan said. The Armenian Ministry of Defense categorically denied this and stated that intense fighting was taking place along the entire border.

• The Prime Minister of Armenia explained what his statement about the impossibility of a diplomatic solution to the Karabakh issue means.  He called the status of Nagorno-Karabakh a fundamental issue for Armenia and said that Armenia is ready for a compromise and that Azerbaijan is not.

• The President of Azerbaijan in an interview with the Japanese newspaper Nikkei commented on his position: “All regions of Azerbaijan should be liberated, the main thing in the negotiations is to determine when this will happen”,  “The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh may be offered cultural autonomy.”

• Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian military tried to launch a missile strike on the Oguz-Gabala-Baku water pipeline, which supplies drinking water to the Absheron Peninsula and is of strategic importance.

• Baku accused Armenia of firing rockets at Azerbaijan from its territory, the Armenian Defense Ministry categorically denied.

• Women and children from Karabakh held a protest action near the US Embassy in Yerevan, they demanded to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and stop the war.

• News, reports, photos / videos on military operations in Karabakh for October 22, 2020