Armenian Attacks on Azerbaijani Cities, Civilians, Infrastructures – Gross Violations of Geneva Convention

Islamabad/ Pakistan; 06 Oct 2020 – The armed forces of Armenia have continued to target the civilian population, private houses and other civilian infrastructure in residential areas along the line of contact in a gross violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

Civilian facilities, such as hospitals, medical centers, school buildings, kindergartens as well as graveyards have been subjected to indiscriminate shelling of armed forces of Armenia, including from artillery and other large-caliber weaponry.

As of 05 October, totally 25 civilians, including children and elderly have been killed, 127 civilians have been hospitalized with various injuries as a consequence of heavy artillery shelling. 316 houses and 56 civilian facilities have been destroyed as a result of armed attack. In the last 24 hours 3 civilians were killed, 30 people were injured; more than 170 houses and civilian facilities have been destroyed.

The Armenian armed forces continued tactical ballistic missile, large calibre artillery and rocket strikes on densely populated areas of Ganja, Mingachevir, Beylagan, Goranboy, Goygol, Barda, Terter, Zardab, Khizi and Absheron regions from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the territory of Armenia, including from Gorus, Sisyan, Jemruk, Berd cities.

According to the information provided by the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan, “Tochka-U” tactical missiles, multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS) including “Smerch”, “URAGAN” and “GRAD” as well as other heavy artillery are used by Armenian armed forces during the indiscriminate targeting of residential areas and civilian objects in the territory of Azerbaijan. Residential areas of Turkoba village of Khizi region and Pirishikul village of Absheron region were repotedly targeted by the Armed Forces of Armenia with “Scud” tactical ballistic missiles.

Armenian Targeting Civilians in Cities  

Starting from yesterday (4 October 2020), Armed Forces of Armenia has expanded the territory of its military activities and has started to launch tactical ballistic missiles to major cities that are densely populated and host critical civilian infrastructure of a regional importance.

• Ganja – 2^nd biggest city, in which more than 331 000 people reside and is located 60 km from the frontline have been subject to the indiscriminate shelling with missiles for two days in a row. As a result of armed attacks by Armenia, serious damages have been inflicted upon civilians, infrastructure, historical buildings, international hospital, school, furniture factory and central market as a result of Armenia’s armed attack.

• Mingachevir – 4^th biggest city in Azerbaijan, in which 106 000 people reside and is located around 100 km from the frontline was hit with 3 rockets launched by “Smerch“ Multiple Rocket Launcher System on 4 October 2020 around 23:00. Two rockets fell unexploded in close proximity of Mingachevir Water Hydropower Complex and private house, the third rocket reached its target and caused serious damage to the house and injuries to 5 civilians (more information about this act can be found below).

• Khizi – is located around 200 km from the frontline and around 80 km from Baku (capital of Azerbaijan) was hit with “Scud” tactical ballistic missiles. Missile hit the Turkoba village of Khizi region.

• Absheron – is located around 250 km from the frontline and around 15 km from Baku (capital of Azerbaijan) was hit with “Scud” tactical ballistic missiles. Missile hit Pirishikul village of Absheron region  

As it can be seen, Armed Forces of Armenia expands geography of its attacks close to the capital Baku, which hosts 3 million people.

Rocket attacks on critical civilian infrastructure

Around 23:00, October 4, 2020 the Armed Forces of Armenia shelled Mingachevir industrial city of Azerbaijan by 3 rockets from “Smerch“ Multiple Rocket Launcher System. The city of Mingachevir is located 100 km away from the theatre of hostilities, have population of 100 000 people and hosts Water Hydropower Complex and Electricity Plant. One rocket fell unexploded in front of the building of “Azerbaijan” Thermal Power Plant, which located in the Mingachevir Water Hydropower Complex, another rocket fell unexploded in front of civilian house, and the third rocket hit a private house resulting in 5 wounded civilians and destruction to the house.

Mingachevir Hydropower Complex is the largest dam of its kind in the entire Caucasus region with an overall surface area of 605 square kilometers, roughly the same size as Spain’s capital Madrid. The complex provides electric energy for over forty cities and districts in Azerbaijan including capital Baku and second-largest city of Ganja, which was itself targeted by numerous missile attacks in the afternoon of the same day.

According to the National Center of Environmental Forecasting, consequences of a possible strike on the Mingachevir reservoir could be quite catastrophic for Azerbaijan and the entire region. The water from the destroyed dam could inundate a huge territory in the country stretching from its central part toward east up to capital Baku over 240 kilometers. Such damage could lead to dramatic environmental, infrastructure and humanitarian disasters, which could kill countless civilians. Around half of the population of Azerbaijan could suffer massive power outage. Strategic transport and energy routes could get seriously damaged in the wake of the dam burst.