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By Trend

The BBC TV channel broadcasted a reportage on the Armenian missile attack on the Azerbaijani city of Ganja, Trend reports.

The humanitarian ceasefire reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan was breached by Armenia within the first 24 hours. It is noted that after the shelling of a residential building in Ganja, Azerbaijan claims that Armenia has committed a war crime, BBC’s correspondent Orla Guerin said.

The reportage presented the footage of houses destroyed by the Armenian missile attack and residents of the city who lost their family members.

"Here is what’s left of the neighborhood in Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, where these people lived," the correspondent at the scene said, showing the wreckage.

The reportage also emphasized that the attack was open aggression against the civilian population.

“It was clearly civilian target-apartment blocks, flats where people were living. There are beds and blankets strewn among the rubbles. The attack happened at 02:00 (GMT +4),” Guerin also said.

“This was supposed to be a humanitarian ceasefire, but it looks like a real war. What happens next? Whether the ceasefire is dead? We asked the questions to Azerbaijani President’s Assistant Hikmat Hajiyev,” she noted.

“If Armenia continues to attack Azerbaijani civilians, Azerbaijan will be forced to take necessary measures against illegitimate military targets,” Hajiyev said answering the above questions.

"You say they opened fire on you and you have the right to answer. What will happen? Will you continue to observe the ceasefire or will you respond to this attack?" the correspondent asked the president’s assistant.

"Currently, we remain committed to the ceasefire, but if the Armenians continue to attack the civilian population of Azerbaijan, it must be remembered that we, like all countries, also have the right to self-defense," he answered.

"The grandchildren of the owner of this house slept here, fortunately, they managed to survive," said the journalist, commenting on footage of one of the houses destroyed by the missile attack, pointing to a blanket among the ruins.

On October 11, 2020, at about 2:00 (GMT+4) Armenian armed forces fired missiles at multi-apartment residential buildings in the central part of Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan, located outside the frontline zone.

According to the latest data, 9 civilians, including 4 women, were killed as a result of missiles fired at apartment buildings in the central part of Ganja.

The Armenian Armed Forces, flagrantly violating norms and principles of international law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols to it, as well as the requirements of the humanitarian ceasefire declared on October 10th, continue to deliberately target the civilian population of Azerbaijan, and intensively bombard densely populated settlements.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27.

Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as take important, strategic heights under control.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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