Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree to Avoid Shooting in Settlement Region

Geneva, MINA – Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to avoid shooting in settlement areas amid fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the deal following a day of talks between Armenian and Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry in Geneva.

Quoted as Al Arabiya on Saturday, the two sides also agreed that they would not deliberately target civilians or non-military objects in accordance with international humanitarian law and within a week will provide a list of prisoners of war held for exchange.

The two countries talks are sponsored by the Minsk Group, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France.

In a joint statement, the head of the organization said Armenia and Azerbaijan promised to offer their proposals on a possible ceasefire verification mechanism and urge both sides to respect their ceasefire commitments.

Nagorno-Karabakh is located in Azerbaijan but has been under the control of Armenian forces since the war ended in 1994. The latest outburst of hostilities began on September 27 and left hundreds or even thousands of people dead, marking the worst escalation of fighting since the war ended.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has the right to reclaim its territory by force after three decades of international mediation have not yielded results.

He said Armenia should promise to withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh as a condition for a lasting ceasefire.

Azerbaijani troops, relying on attack drones and long-range rocket systems supplied by Turkey, have regained control of some areas on the outskirts of Nagorno-Karabakh and entered separatist territory from the south.

According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 1,166 of their soldiers and 39 civilians have been killed. Azerbaijani authorities have not disclosed their military losses, but say the fighting has killed at least 91 civilians and wounded 400 others.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week, according to Moscow information, the true death toll was significantly higher and closer to 5,000. (T/Hju/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)