Azerbaijani forces escalated their attacks on Artsakh by bombing the capital city of Stepanakert on Friday, causing extensive structural damage and injuring scores of civilians, reported the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

One of the worst hit facilities in Stepanakert was Artsakh Rescue Service Center, where Azerbaijani forces using cluster bombs attacks the first-responder center causing heavy damage.

“The Rescue Service building in Stepanakert is partially destroyed, windows are shattered, walls collapsed, vehicles at the parking lot were damages,” said head of the center, Armen Narimanyan.

“This was the heaviest strike on Stepanakert,” said Artsakh Human Right Defender Artak Beglaryan.

Artsakh authorities vowed “adequate response” to the Azeri bombing of the capital city of Stepanakert.

“An adequate response will take place, the entire responsibility of which falls on the Aliyev family,” Artsakh presidential spokesperson Vahram Poghosyan said.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have fired a Smerch heavy multiple rocket launcher at the town of Hadrut in Artsakh, Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan said.

“Moments ago they shelled the town of Hadrut with a Smerch. There are wounded civilians,” he said.

Artsakh Defense Ministry reported that fighting continued along the entire border of Artsakh and Azerbaijan for the sixth day, with Artsakh Armed Forces valiantly fighting to push back enemy combatants and destroying their military equipment.

“On October 2, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan continued the criminal targeting of the civilian settlements of the Republic of Artsakh. This time Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of Artsakh, and the city of Hadrut were attacked, resulting in casualties among the civilian population,” said an Armenian Foreign Ministry statement.

“Having failed to achieve any success in the battlefield, the armed forces of Azerbaijan, reinforced by foreign terrorist fighters, resorted to the perpetration of mass atrocities against the civilian population of Artsakh,” explained official Yerevan. “The attacks are mostly carried out with coordination of the Turkish military specialists and with the military equipment and armaments provided by Turkey to Azerbaijan within the framework of their military-political cooperation.”

“At the same time, in an attempt to justify these and other gross violations of international humanitarian law committed during the hostilities instigated against Artsakh, Azerbaijan is spreading fake news that the Armenian side is targeting its civilian settlements,” added the foreign ministry.

“The Republic of Armenia strongly condemns this crime of the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance and reiterates its determination together with the authorities of Artsakh to neutralize any existential threat to the people of Artsakh by all means,” said the foreign ministry in its statement.
Late Thursday evening local time, Armenian authorities reported downing four Azerbaijani drones over the Gegharkunik and Kotayk provinces of Armenia. Kotayk is located about 13 miles from Yerevan.

“On October 1, the Azerbaijani armed forces used artillery in the direction of Shatvan village of the Gegharkunik province of the Republic of Armenia, as well as launched a missile attack from a combat UAVs at Mets Masrik settlement, as a result of which Gevorg Vardanyan, born in 1967, was killed and two civilians were wounded to varying degrees,” said an Armenian foreign ministry statement.

“Later, the adversary’s UAVs invaded the airspace of the Republic of Armenia and carried our surveillance flights near Yerevan, the capital city of the Republic of Armenia. All the UAVs were destroyed by the air defense forces,” explained the foreign ministry.

“Notably, hours from the statement of the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries on immediate cessation of hostilities Azerbaijan has opted for further escalation,” said the foreign ministry referring to a statement issued Thursday by the presidents of Russia, France and the United States.

“The Republic of Armenia strongly condemns these actions of Azerbaijan and considers them as a step aimed at further aggravating the conflict. We view this attempt of undermining regional security provoked and directly supported by Turkey as a response to the efforts and calls of the international community, particularly the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship to establish peace,” added the foreign ministry.

http://asbarez.com/197336/azerbaijan-bombs-stepanakert/