Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh is continuing for the thirteenth day.

[The news as it happened: 27 September, 28 September, 29 September, 30 September, 1 October, 2 October, 3 October, 4 October, 5 October, 6 October, 7 October,  and 8 October]

Read our latest stories: 

Opinion | We are a generation of war

Opinion | To stand for peace, in spite of everything

Analysis | A dangerous turn in a 30-year conflict

Under fire in Stepanakert

What does the ECHR’s decision on Armenia v Azerbaijan mean?

War in Nagorno-Karabakh triggers mixed reactions among Georgian minorities

 For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to a ceasefire from 12:00 on Saturday following over ten hours of talks in Moscow.

Negotiations between Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov were mediated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Read more on the story: Armenia and Azerbaijan agree on ceasefire.

Opinion | How I learned not to hate

'I have seen the seeds of hatred growing slowly in people who were chanting for peace just days ago, a week ago, two weeks ago. We must confront our anger and our trauma without resorting to hate’.

Read more of Arpi Bekaryan’s opinion article: Opinion | How I learned not to hate

Ilham Aliyev: ‘Last chance to return lands peacefully’

In an address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev spoke of ending the 'status quo' in Nagorno-Karabakh. ‘There is no status quo anymore. I changed it there on the frontline. There is no line of contact. We destroyed it'. 

Additionally, he claimed that the Azerbaijani army took control of Hadrut, and eight villages. He also repeated his stance on the ongoing conflict: ‘We will get our lands back. Unequivocally. By peace or by war. We give Armenia the last chance to return them peacefully.' He also reiterated that he seeks to 'restore Azerbaijan's territorial integrity'. 

‘This is one of the brightest victories in Azerbaijan’s history. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!’, he concluded.  

Meanwhile, Armenia has denied that Azerbaijan took control of Hadrut, with MInistry of Defence spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan quipping, ‘I am currently in Hadrut, and for some reason, see only Armenians around’.

French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken with both Aliyev and Pashinyan today

French President Emmanuel Macron conducted separate phone conversations today about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are also meeting in Moscow today on the Kremlin’s invitation.

Hikmet Hajiyev: ‘We treat with great respect the feelings of Christians of the world’.

Assistant to the Azerbaijani President Hikmat Hajiyev, in an interview to Turkish Haber Global responding to a question about shelling the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shusha (Shushi), said that Armenia ‘speculates’ on and ‘manipulates this issue’.

He added that Azerbaijan ‘treats the feeling of Christians of the world with great respect’, and said that footage of the damaged Church is ‘contradictory’ and ‘an outright lie’. According to him, the Azerbaijani army did not target the church and that on principle, they do not target churches and other civilian objects. 

Yesterday, the Cathedral was hit twice by artillery fire. In the second instance, several Russian journalists who were inside the building were injured, one seriously. 

Peskov: Putin spoke ‘until late in the evening’ with Yerevan and Baku 

The press-secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitri Peskov has said that yesterday, that Putin conversed ‘until late in the evening’ with ‘colleagues from Baku and Yerevan’.

Following these discussions, the Kremlin announced the invitation to Moscow to the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan so as to negotiate a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ for the exchange of bodies and prisoners of war. 

Azerbaijan: Armenian forces have shelled Mingachevir and Aghjabadi

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defence has reported that Armenian Forces are ‘intensively shelling’ Mingachevir and Aghjabadi. The Armenian Ministry of Defence has denied the claim. 

Ongoing shelling has also been reported in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert. 

Hikmet Hajiyev: Ongoing discussions may resolve conflict

Assistant to Azerbaijani President Hikmat Hajiyev, in an interview to Turkish Haber Global, said that the influence of ‘Ankara and Baku’ at the negotiating table has strengthened.

‘We have already changed the status quo’, he said. ‘The status quo which was based on the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, which Armenia sought to strengthen.’

Hajiyev called the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow as ‘the first contact’, and said that through ongoing discussions it is possible ‘to come to the resolution of the conflict’, but that ‘everything will depend on the discussions’. 

AFP: France states that Armenia and Azerbaijan ‘heading towards truce’

AFP has reported that according to French officials, Armenia and Azerbaijan are heading towards a ‘truce’ that will be signed on Friday or Saturday. 

At the moment the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Moscow to discuss a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ for the exchange of bodies and prisoners of war.

Armenia prohibits ‘questioning defence capacities’

In the evening of 8 October, the Armenian government introduced amendments to the regime of martial law which was initially declared on September 27. Under the new restrictions, ‘questioning’ the ‘defence capacities’ of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh is prohibited.

Additionally, the publication of materials ‘criticizing, refuting actions of state and local self-government bodies and officials for ensuring the legal regime of martial law and ensuring state security’ is also prohibited. 

 

Ilham Aliyev confirms presence of Turkish F-16s in Azerbaijan

In an interview with CNN Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that Turkish F-16s were present in Azerbaijan, however, he denied that they had been used in combat operations and said that they were simply leftover from previous training exercises with Turkey. 

On 7 October, an investigation by the New York Times revealed the presence of the planes at an airport in Ganja. 

Previously, Armenian authorities accused Azerbaijan of using a Turkish F-16s to shoot down one of its planes. Azerbaijani authorities have denied the accusation, stating that the plane had crashed into the side of a mountain. 

Azerbaijan: 31 civilian deaths since start of fighting

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan has reported that 31 civilians have died since the fighting began, with 164 injured. Roughly 1000 homes are reported to be damaged.

Armenian Military fatalities top 376

The Armenian Ministry of Defence is reporting that military fatalities since the start of the fighting have topped 376. Azerbaijan has not released any information on the number of military casualties.

Russian PM in Yerevan today 

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is in Yerevan today for the meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) intergovernmental council.

Continued reports of fire on civilian settlements near line of contact

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense has reported that cities of Goranboy, Tartar and Aghdam are being shelled. According to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, in the morning hours, Fizuli district was also subjected to rocket and artillery fire. They stated that as a result three people were injured.

Meanwhile, Stepanakert has again come under heavy shelling this morning. Nagorno-Karabakh’s Human Rights Defender Artak Beglaryan has said ‘civilian objects’ have been hit. There is no word yet on injuries. 

Putin calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to have a temporary ceasefire for exchange of bodies and POWs

After ‘series of talks’ with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an end to hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ‘for humanitarian reasons with the aim of exchanging the bodies of the dead and prisoners’.

According to the statement, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are invited to Moscow on October 9 to hold consultations on these issues with the mediation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov.