Azerbaijan offers Armenia a humanitarian ceasefire

Azerbaijan unilaterally offered Armenia a humanitarian ceasefire, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said in a conversation with Russian Presidential Envoy for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkiy. About it informed press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also informed the other side about the tension in the region as a result of provocations by Armenia. He noted that Azerbaijan unilaterally offered Armenia a humanitarian ceasefire and that it is not in the interests of our country to escalate the situation and destabilize it,” the statement says.

The situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated on the night of September 13. According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Azerbaijani troops fired on the border settlements in the south-east of the country – Sotk, Goris and Jermuk.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, in turn, blamed Armenia for the escalation of the situation. They noted that the Armenian side has been “intensively shelling” the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Kalbajar, Lachin, Dashkesan and Gadabay directions for the last month. In addition, Armenia mined areas and supply routes between the positions of the Azerbaijani army, the ministry added. Later, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported the death of 50 Azerbaijani servicemen during the fighting on the border. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan later announced 105 dead.

After the night shelling, the Armenian government turned to Russia, the CSTO and the UN Security Council. Pashinyan also called Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. As a result, Baku and Yerevan, through the mediation of Moscow, were able to agree on a ceasefire from 09:00 Moscow time. On the same day, an emergency meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council was held.

But on the morning of September 14, shelling continued. The Armenian Defense Ministry reported that the Azerbaijani military used artillery, mortars and other weapons in the direction of the Armenian settlements of Jermuk and Verin Shorzha.