Azerbaijan has right to self-defense, says ambassador

By Trend

Azerbaijan has the right to self-defense, said the country’s Ambassador to Bulgarian Nargiz Gurbanova, as she was talking about the recent escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Trend reports with reference to Bulgarian media.

She pointed out that Azerbaijan repeatedly warned the international community that Armenia is preparing for a new war, but unfortunately, no measures were taken to stop Armenia.

Gurbanova recalled that on September 27, the Armenian armed forces began firing on the Azerbaijani positions. They targeted not only the army positions, but also civilians, added the envoy.

The ambassador said Azerbaijan expects the UN Security Council to ensure the implementation its own resolutions.

“The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions demanding complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. The fulfillment of these resolutions must be supported by all member states,” added Gurbanova.

She pointed out that Azerbaijan has the greatest interest in solving this problem, because it is about Azerbaijan’s territory, which has been occupied and many people had to left their homes.

Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the frontline, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front.

As a result of the retaliation, Azerbajiani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district). Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control. Back in July 2020, Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well.

Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.