October 3 Update on Azeri Attacks

• Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations Mher Margaryan spoke with•ß Arab News Daily, noting that the aggression of Azerbaijan and Turkey against Armenia and Artsakh is not just an aggression against Armenians, but against the basic values of the humanity and what the United Nations stands for.

He said, “There are many credible reports about the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters and mercenaries, and there have been calls from the international community, also, from the Minsk Group Co-chairs. The foreign mercenaries, who, actually, are being recruited and transported with the support of Turkey (and we have to name the names here), have been very destructive elements, and their activities and transportation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone needs to be stopped.

“The belligerent actions of Azerbaijan have been preceded by many years of dangerous rhetoric of hate speech and Armenophobia, openly and consistently promulgated by Azerbaijan at the highest political level. The leadership of Azerbaijan has been promoting hate crimes and glorifying hate criminals. At the same time, they have been spending billions of dollars to acquire deadly offensive weaponry and openly threatening the people of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh with promises to use force. It comes as no surprise for those who have been following it that the statement made by the president of Azerbaijan at the General Debate of the 75th session of the General Assembly last week was not only a textbook manifestation of hate speech but also, as we have come to realize, as a declaration of war against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, with a clear genocidal intent. The offensive also comes amidst a global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, when the international community is focused on fighting the disease. Obviously, one may think that the leadership of Azerbaijan has decided to take advantage of the global vulnerabilities caused by the pandemic, also, in light of the internal instabilities that they are experiencing. This is not just an attack against the Armenians. This is an attack against the basic norms of humanity, an attack against what the United Nations stands for.”

• The Turkish regime is responsible for moving terrorists to Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, Ambassador of Syria to Russia Riad Haddad told Interfax.

“This information confirms that Syria was right in its numerous warnings that the terrorist groups sent for the destabilization of the region are a threat for regional and international security and peace’’, the Ambassador said.

He said that Syria would not be their final destination and that those acts need an international reaction.

“Syria has emphasized the necessity to fight against terrorism and punish their leaders, with the Turkish occupant forces in control of them,” Haddad said.

• Nagorno-Karabakh said on Saturday that 51 more servicemen had been killed in the war with Azerbaijan, a sharp rise in the death toll from a week of fierce fighting.

Arayik Harutyunyan, president of the ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan, said earlier he had travelled to join his forces on the front line.