Azernews.Az

By Aisha Jabbarova

Azerbaijan’s armed forces have destroyed ready for launch ballistic missiles of Armenia in start position, averting Armenia’s yet another attack on civilians, Presidential Aide Hikmat Hajiyev said in a Twitter post on October 14.

“Yet another deliberate and targeted human catastrophy planned by Armenia was averted. Ready for launch ballistic missiles of Armenia destroyed in start position in border area of occupied Kalabajar region of Azerbaijan with Armenia. Lives of many civilians were saved,” Hajiyev twitted.

Hajiyev said that at 1 AM, Armenian armed forces brought to start position the operative-ballistic missile system in close proximity of Kalbajar.

“Armenia intended to attack civilians and critical infrastructure in Ganja, Mingachevir and other cities with ballistic missiles. Launch area was empty field. No civil/military infrastructure,” Hajiyev said in another tweet.

“As preventive act, with the aim of protecting lives of civilians, these missile systems were destroyed in launchpad like legitimate military targets,” Hajiyev twitted.

Armenian launched an overnight missile attack on October 11 at apartment buildings in the central part of Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan, located far from the frontline.

Ten civilians, including four children, have been killed in the attack. More than 10 apartment buildings and above 100 different facilities have been severely damaged.

The attack on Ganja comes hours after the humanitarian ceasefire signed between Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers with Russia's mediation on October 10. Ganja also came under Armenian missile attack on October 4 as one civilian was killed and several others were injured.

Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale operation in the front-line zone on September 27 at 6 am, shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army from large-calibre weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibres. Armenia has been targeting Azerbaijan’s densely populated areas and infrastructure projects.

The Azerbaijani Army responded by counteroffensive to retake Azerbaijan's occupied territories. So far, a number of strategic heights, Madagiz village, Hadrut town a number of villages have been liberated from the Armenian occupation.