Artsakh not to ask truce – Tovmasyan

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Artsakh will not ask for a truce, and in case of negotiations it should be involved in the process, Speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly Artur Tovmasyan said Tuesday at a briefing at the Information Center.

"The war was started by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, now the military-political power of Turkey is waging," he said.

Tovmasyan stressed that if the enemy wants to speak the language of war and weapons, he will receive a similar response.

"If there is a desire to return to the peaceful negotiation process, I think it should be restored at the point after the Budapest summit, when the Artsakh authorities participated in the negotiations as a party to the conflict. Only we have the right to decide our fate, only the Artsakh people, with Armenia and the Diaspora in the rear," he said.

He also stated that if the war hits the weak spots - the capital and cities with civilians, then Artsakh is left with no option but to inflict commensurate blows on the cities of Azerbaijan.

"It is unacceptable to fire on peaceful settlements. Both sides already have civilian casualties. If they are men, let them come and fight on the frontlines," Tovmasyan said.

War in Artsakh

On September 27, at 07:10, Azerbaijani troops launched an offensive along the entire length of the contact line in Artsakh, but were thrown back in several directions. Intense fighting continues in the south, southeast and north of the front line. Turkey joined the aggression. Residential areas are being shelled as well. 

The Azerbaijani side suffered losses in manpower (more than 3,454 people killed and around 5,000 wounded) and equipment, in particular, 220 UAVs, 3 units of TOS – 1A, 4 Smerch and Uragan MLRS, more than 368 tanks and other armored vehicles, 16 helicopters and 17 aircraft. 

According to the data of the defense ministry of Armenia and Artsakh, more than 220 Armenian servicemen were killed and hundreds wounded on the Armenian side. Also 21 civilians were killed and 82 wounded on the Armenian side. 

Armenia informed the international community, including the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, about the aggression by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, also about the shelling of peaceful settlements.

Martial law and general mobilization were declared in Artsakh and Armenia. -0---