Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire regime with Azerbaijan during a monitoring operation by Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The monitoring was carried out under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office's representative on the contact line located near the village of Bala Jafarli of Azerbaijan's Gazakh region on October 16, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

Despite being informed earlier about the OSCE monitoring operation, the Armenian troops continued their provocative moves on the contact line. Openly ignoring all the rules and laws, the Armenian side showed how it's indifferent to life of other people even if they are international mediators.

Ahead of the monitoring, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs-Igor Popov (Russia), Andrew Pierre (France), as well as James Warlick's (U.S.) assistant David Salvo, who were conducting monitoring on the Azerbaijani side, met with the villagers.

During a brief conversation, the villagers expressed concern over the continuation of the prolonged Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the futility of efforts to resolve the conflict, ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the Armenian armed forces' constant shooting of the civilian population, human settlements, including non-military targets and etc.

Afterwards, the delegation went to the monitoring scene. The Armenian militaries opened fire on the contact line of troops prior to passing of the monitoring group to the opposite side.

This is not the only case when Armenian armed forces violate the ceasefire during the OSCE monitoring. In early 2014, the OSCE monitoring group was forced to delay its monitoring operation due to heavy shelling by the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the obvious violation of international norms and laws by the Armenian armed forces, the international organizations and world powers continue to turn blind eyes to Armenia's aggressive policy.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.

Armenia continues the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of armed forces.

Peace talks brokered by mediators from Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.