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2020 Ganja missile attacks

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2020 Ganja ballistic missile attacks
Part of 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
File:2020 Ganja bombings.jpg
Destroyed buildings after the second attack
2020 Ganja missile attacks is located in Ganja, Azerbaijan
2020 Ganja missile attacks
2020 Ganja missile attacks
2020 Ganja missile attacks
2020 Ganja missile attacks
2020 Ganja missile attacks
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the missile attacks
First attack
Second attack
Third attack
Fourth attack
LocationGanja, Azerbaijan
Date4 October 2020 (2020-10-04) – 17 October 2020 (2020-10-17)
(1 week and 6 days) (GMT+4)
Attack type
Ballistic missile attack
Weapons
Deaths25
Injured122+
Perpetrators

The Ganja ballistic missile attacks (Template:Lang-az) were four separate missile attacks on the city of Ganja, Azerbaijan in October 2020, during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The first attack took place on 4 October, killing one civilian and wounding more than 30. It was one of the first serious attacks in the conflict outside the Nagorno-Karabakh region.[1][2] The second attack occurred on 8 October; no casualties were reported.[3] The third attack took place on 11 October. In the attack, ten people died and more than forty were injured, including minors. The attack was one of the first major violations of the ceasefire, signed a day earlier, to attempt to halt the conflict.[4] The fourth attack occurred on 17 October. According to initial reports, thirteen civilians were killed and more than fifty injured in the attack.[5] During the attacks, infrastructure was also destroyed, including apartment blocks, other buildings, and vehicles.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of the attacks, but Armenia denied any responsibility.[6] The Artsakh Defense Army admitted responsibility for the first attack. The Azerbaijani government called the third attack "an act of genocide"[7] and retaliated with a surgical strike on three R-17 Elbrus ballistic missile launchers in the Artsakh-controlled Kalbajar District.

Background

Main article: 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes

On 27 September 2020, clashes broke out in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is de facto controlled by Artsakh, but is de jure part of Azerbaijan.[8] Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan, has a population of 335 thousand people,[9] It is situated 97 kilometres (60 miles) north of the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact and 241 kilometres (150 miles) east of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border.[10]

Trilateral talks on the conflict between the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia began on 9 October 2020 in Moscow.[11] Sergey Lavrov, Jeyhun Bayramov and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated in the talks.[12] Lavrov issued a joint statement after 10 hours of talks that ended at 03:00 local time,[13] confirming that a humanitarian ceasefire would come to force at midday.[14][15] Minutes after the truce was to come into effect, the two parties blamed each other for proceeding with attacks in violation of the ceasefire.[16] Azerbaijan stated that the ceasefire was temporary and emphasized it would not renege on its goal to retake control of the region.[17]

Attacks

First attack

Ganja was first hit by an OTR-21 Tochka ballistic missile on 4 October.[18][19] Azerbaijan accused Armenia of the attack, which it denied,[20] with Artsakh taking responsibility, stating that it fired on military targets, especially Ganja International Airport,[21] while Azerbaijan stated that there were no military targets in the city.[22] Subsequently, both a correspondent reporting from the scene for a Russian media outlet and the airport director denied that the airport, which was not operational since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had been shelled.[23] As a result of the attack, one civilian was killed, while 30 were injured.[24]

Second attack

Ganja was again bombed on 8 October. No civilian casualties were reported, but a number of residential buildings and one private vehicle were damaged.[25]

Third attack

A day after the ceasefire signed on 10 October, on 02:00 local time the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence stated that units belonging to the Armenian Armed Forces in Berd, Armenia,[26] had fired upon Ganja[27] with a Scud missile.[28] The missile hit an apartment building, completely destroying it.[29][30] Shortly after, search and rescue teams arrived at the scene.[31] During the attack, significant infrastructure in the city was destroyed, including an apartment block,[32][33] and structures and vehicles in the vicinity of the explosion were seriously damaged.[34] Armenia denied responsibility for the attack.[35] As a result of the attack, ten people were killed,[36] and 40 people were injured, with women and children were among the victims.[37]

Fourth attack

On 17 October, at approximately 01:00 local time, the Azerbaijani authorities stated that the Armenian Armed Forces had fired Scud missiles[38] at Ganja.[39][40] Journalists reported three powerful explosions in the city.[41] According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, the missiles struck densely populated residential areas of ​​the city, leveling several rows of residential and other buildings,[42][43] the first one being less than two kilometers (1.2mi) away from the city hall,[44] and the second within Kapaz District in the east of the city.[5] According to local authorities, about 20 houses were destroyed,[45] trapping many civilians under the rubble.[46] Search and rescue teams of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergency Situations and servicemen of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense arrived at the scene,[47] calling in sniffer dogs[48] to rescue the wounded and recover the dead. Armenia denied responsibility for the attack.[49]

As a result of the attack, 13 civilians were killed and more than 52 were injured according to initial reports.[50]

Azerbaijani response

On 14 October, Azerbaijan stated it had retaliated for the third attack, claiming the destruction of three R-17 Elbrus tactical ballistic missile launchers in Kalbajar District, under Artsakh's control.[51] According to Azerbaijan, the missile launchers had been targeting Ganja and Mingachevir. Armenia confirmed that sites within Armenia had been struck while continuing to deny it had attacked Azerbaijan.[52]

Three days later, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev stated that the Azerbaijani forces had retaliated for the fourth attack, seizing control of Fuzuli and several villages within the district of the same name.[53]

Reactions

The attacks were strongly condemned by the Azerbaijani government, which labeled the third attack "an act of genocide against the Azerbaijani people we have witnessed since the Khojaly Massacre".[7] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the third attack a war crime and a "gross" violation of the ceasefire, promising a "befitting retaliation".[54] He also called the fourth attack a war crime and promised to retaliate,[55] adding that Azerbaijan would "punish" Armenia if the international community did not react,[56] while the Azerbaijani ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva accused Armenia of supporting terrorism.[57]

Internationally, the third and fourth attacks were condemned by Turkey,[58] which called the latter a war crime.[59] The Qatari,[60] Malay,[61] Swiss[62] and British[63] ambassadors to Azerbaijan expressed their condolences during the third attack.


References

  1. ^ "Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Major cities hit as heavy fighting continues". BBC. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Azerbaijan's No. 2 city targeted in fighting with Armenia". The Independent. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Azerbaijan's Ganja under fire once again by Armenian troops". Trend News Agency. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia, Azerbaijan trade accusations as civilian areas hit despite truce". France24. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Один человек погиб при втором ракетном ударе по Гяндже" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Sullivan, Rory; Isaac, Lindsay (11 October 2020). "Azerbaijan and Armenia accuse each other of breaking ceasefire". CNN. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Armenian policy of vandalism against Azerbaijani civilian population continues - assistant to Azerbaijani president (PHOTO)". Trend News Agency. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Armenia and Azerbaijan fight over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh". BBC. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Azərbaycan Respublikasının şəhər və rayonlarının ərazisi, əhalisinin sayı və sıxlığı" [Territory, population and density of cities and districts of the Republic of Azerbaijan]. State Statistics Committee. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  10. ^ Kazimov, Seymur (15 October 2020). "Hours after truce agreed, children became orphans in Azerbaijan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Armenian, Azerbaijani officials to hold truce talks in Moscow". France24. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Moscow hosts Armenia-Azerbaijan talks as fighting continues over Nagorno-Karabakh". BBC. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Armenia and Azerbaijan agree ceasefire". Financial Times. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Armenia, Azerbaijan accuse each other of violating ceasefire". Al Jazeera. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Shaky ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh after Moscow deal". CNBC. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  16. ^ Sultanova, Aida (11 October 2020). "Azerbaijan, Armenia report shelling of cities despite truce". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  17. ^ Kantchev, Georgi (11 October 2020). "Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Accusations of Shelling Despite Truce". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Major cities hit as heavy fighting continues". BBC. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  19. ^ "Azerbaijan's No. 2 city targeted in fighting with Armenia". The Independent. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Армения заявила, что не ведет обстрел населенных пунктов Азербайджана" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 4 October 2020. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  21. ^ McKernan, Bethan (5 October 2020). "Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of rocket attack". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Azerbaijan's MOD: Information spread by Armenians about alleged shelling of military facilities in Ganja city is false". APA.az. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020. The information spread by the Armenian side about the alleged shelling of military facilities in Ganja city is provocative and false, Ministry of Defense told APA. As a result of enemy fire, civilians, civilian infrastructure, and ancient historical buildings were harmed.
  23. ^ "Война в Карабахе. Обстрел Степанакерта и удар по Гяндже – Новости на русском языке". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  24. ^ "Gəncə niyə raket atəşinə tutuldu?" (in Azerbaijani). BBC Azerbaijani Service. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  25. ^ "Azerbaijan's Ganja under fire once again by Armenian troops". Trend News Agency. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  26. ^ "Город Гянджа вновь подвергается обстрелу с территории Армении" (in Russian). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  27. ^ "MoD: Ganja city once again comes under fire from Armenia". 11 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020. Armenian armed forces are once again shelling the Ganja city, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence reported.
  28. ^ "Ganja was fired from "Scud" missile, and not "Tochka-U"". Turan Information Agency. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020. missile strike on a residential area of the city of Ganja was carried out by a Scud ballistic missile, said Gazanfar Ahmedov, executive director of the National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).
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  32. ^ Guerin, Orla (15 October 2020). "Karabakh war leaves civilians shell-shocked and bitter". BBC. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  33. ^ "Qarabağda atəşkəs: Xankəndində nə deyirlər? -BBC Ruscanın müxbiri yazır" (in Azerbaijani). BBC Azerbaijani. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  34. ^ Bagirova, Nailia; Hovhannisyan, Nvard (11 October 2020). "Nagorno-Karabakh truce frays as both sides allege attacks". Reuters. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  35. ^ Sullivan, Rory; Isaac, Lindsay (11 October 2020). "Azerbaijan and Armenia accuse each other of breaking ceasefire". CNN. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  36. ^ Dettmer, Jamie (12 October 2020). "Why is Azerbaijan Fighting?". Voice of America. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  37. ^ Melimopoulos, Elizabeth; Alsaafin, Linah (11 October 2020). "Nagorno-Karabakh truce frays as both sides allege attacks: Live". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  38. ^ "Hikmet Hajiyev: According to ANAMA missiles fired to Ganja is SCUD/Elbrus Operative-Tactical Ballistic Missile". APA.az. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ "Azerbaijan Says 12 Killed, 40 Wounded in Missile Attack on Ganja". Voice of America. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ^ "Два города в Азербайджане попали под ракетный обстрел" (in Russian). Caucasian Knot. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ "По Гяндже снова ударили ракеты" (in Russian). BBC Russian Service. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ "Twelve killed in missile strike on Azerbaijan's Ganja: Prosecutor". The Economic Times. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ "Azerbaijan says civilians killed by Armenia in Ganja: Live". Al Jazeera. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. ^ "Спасатели ищут выживших на месте нового ракетного удара в Гяндже" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ^ "В Азербайджане заявили, что при обстреле Гянджи разрушены 20 домов" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ^ "Son dakika haberi... Ermenistan yine Gence'yi vurdu!" (in Turkish). CNN Türk. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  47. ^ "Армянские войска вновь обстреливают Гянджу и Мингячевир. Есть жертвы (ВИДЕО и ФОТО)" (in Russian). Vestnik Kavkaza. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  48. ^ "Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan says 12 civilians killed by shelling in Ganja". The Guardian. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  49. ^ "ՀՀ օդային տարածքում ՀՀ ԶՈՒ ՀՕՊ ստորաբաժանումները խոցել են հակառակորդի երկու ԱԹՍ. Շուշան Ստեփանյան". Aurora News (in Armenian). 16 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  50. ^ "МЧС Азербайджана сообщило о 13 погибших при ракетном обстреле Гянджи". RIA Novosti (in Russian). 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  51. ^ "Legitimate military targets that have taken the civilian population of Azerbaijan under the gunpoint were neutralized". Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  52. ^ Sultanova, Aida (11 October 2020). "Azerbaijan, Armenia report shelling of cities despite truce". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  53. ^ "Алиев заявил о взятии Азербайджаном под контроль города Физули в Карабахе" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  54. ^ "Турция обвинила Армению в военных преступлениях". The Wall Street Journal. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
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  57. ^ "Азербайджанский омбудсмен обвинила Ереван в поддержке терроризма" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  58. ^ "No: 241, 11 October 2020, Press Release Regarding Armenia's Attacks on Ganja". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  59. ^ "Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Accusations of Shelling Despite Truce" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  60. ^ "Qatar expresses support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity". Eurasia Diary. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  61. ^ "Malaysia stands firm on territorial integrity, inviolability of Azerbaijani borders - Ambassador". Trend News Agency. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  62. ^ "Swiss ambassador calls to stop violence, after seeing Armenia's attack on Ganja". Trend News Agency. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  63. ^ "Latest events in Azerbaijan's Ganja shock UK's ambassador". Trend News Agency. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.

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