Ukraine’s military says overnight shelling caused severe damage to residential buildings in the city.
Dozens of people have been killed in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia after the Russian military shelled the city during the night, the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces says.
“Overnight, the Russian occupiers cynically struck the residential buildings and civil infrastructure,” the military’s central command said on its Facebook page on Sunday.
“Information about victims is being confirmed, but it is already known about dozens of dead or injured.”
Earlier, city official Anatoliy Kurtev said at least 17 people had been killed in an overnight bombardment.
“As a result of an overnight missile attack on Zaporizhzhia, apartment buildings and roads in a residential area of the city have been damaged,” local official Anatoliy Kurtev, the secretary of the city’s administration, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
“At this time, 17 people are known to have died.”
Russia is under increasing pressure on the battlefield in Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces continue to push forward in a counteroffensive that began in the Kharkiv region at the beginning of last month.
On Saturday, Moscow announced a new commander for the war, air force chief Sergey Surovikin, after last month announcing the annexation of four occupied areas, in breach of international law, and the mobilisation of some 300,000 reservists.
The city of Zaporizhzhia is about 125km (80 miles) from Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which Russia occupied shortly after invading Ukraine on February 24.
The plant lost its last external power source in the early hours of Saturday morning amid renewed artillery fire and is now reliant on emergency diesel generators to cool the reactors and meet other safety requirements.
All six reactors at Europe’s biggest nuclear plant are shut down.
Yemen’s warring sides have failed to reach an agreement to extend a nationwide ceasefire, the United Nations has said.
In a statement, the UN’s envoy to Yemen called on all sides to refrain from acts of provocation as the talks continue, after an October 2 deadline for extending the agreement expired.
The devastating conflict began in 2014 when the Iranian-backed Houthis seized the capital of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened in 2015 to try to restore the internationally-recognised government to power.
In a statement, UN Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said he “regrets that an agreement has not been reached today”. He did not call out the Houthis by name for failing to agree to his proposal but thanked the internationally-recognised government for “engaging positively” in talks to extend the truce. He called on leaders to continue to try and reach an agreement.
“I urge them to fulfill their obligation to the Yemeni people to pursue every avenue for peace,” he said.
The foreign minister for Yemen’s internationally-recognised government placed the blame for the truce ending on the Houthis. In comments made with the pan-Arab Satellite channel Al-Hadath, Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak said that Houthis had obstructed the ceasefire and gone against the interest of the Yemeni people.
“The government made many concessions to extend the truce,” he said.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis, but on Saturday they said that discussions around the truce had reached a “dead-end,” and that they were continuing to advocate for a full opening of the Sanaa airport and lifting of the blockade on the key port city of Hodeida.
The group hosted a large military parade last month, showcasing rockets and large weaponry, drawing condemnation from observers.
In the hours leading up to the deadline, a Houthi military spokesperson threatened private oil companies still working in the country to leave or their facilities would be seized. Yahya Saree wrote on Twitter that the fossil fuels belong to the people of Yemen and could be used to pay public servants’ salaries.
April’s truce had originally established a partial opening of the Sanaa airport and the Red Sea port of Hodeida. The ensuing months have seen flights start again from the capital’s airport to Jordan and Egypt. It also called for lifting a Houthi blockade on Taiz, the country’s third-largest city. But little progress has been made there after talks aimed at reopening local roads stalled. Another sticking point is how the salaries of public employees will be funded, many of whom have not been compensated for years.
Sunday’s statement came a few days after Grundberg met in Sanaa with the top leader of the Houthis, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, and other senior officials who have been pushing for a full opening of the airport. The envoy warned last week that the risk of return to war was a real possibility.
“Millions will now be at risk if airstrikes, ground shelling and missile attacks resume,” said Ferran Puig, country director in Yemen for the international charity Oxfam, reacting to the news of the truce expiring.
Analysts say it remains unclear if further talks could make progress, with Houthis feeling empowered and the coalition fighting them splintered by inter-alliance trouble.
Peter Salisbury, an expert on Yemen with Crisis Group, an international think tank, said the Houthis have been behaving as if they had more leverage throughout the negotiations because they were more willing than the other side to return to war.
Compared with forces fighting with the Saudi coalition, ″they run an effective police state and operate a pretty functional and motivated fighting force,’’ he said.
In recent years, the Houthi forces have deployed increasingly effective weaponry against Saudi Arabia and their rivals, including cruise missiles and drones, drawing accusations that their main backer, Iran, is helping the group obtain them.
Meanwhile, cracks within the anti-Houthi coalition have surfaced in the southern provinces. In August, United Arab Emirates-supported armed groups seized vital southern oil and gas fields controlled by other forces fighting with the Saudi-led coalition. Clashes between them and other forces from within the alliance have killed dozens.
But the truce has led to a significant overall lull of direct warfare despite claims of violations by both sides.
International charity Save The Children said that the truce had led to a 60 percent decrease in displacement and a 34 percent drop in child casualties in Yemen.
The conflict, which in recent years turned into a regional proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, has killed more than 150,000 people, including more than 14,500 civilians, according to The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
KYIV — Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, announced by President Vladimir Putin on Friday, will not affect Kyiv’s resolve to free them with military force, said an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“For our plans, [Russia’s annexation] doesn’t matter,” Mykhailo Podolyak told POLITICO, speaking before the signing ceremony in Moscow orchestrated by Putin. The Russian leader railed at the United States and the West, denounced the Ukrainian government, and warned: “We will protect our land using all our forces.”
The annexation comes on a day when Ukrainian soldiers have reportedly encircled thousands of Russian troops near the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine, and a couple of weeks after a successful counteroffensive that pushed Russian forces from the region near Kharkiv — the country’s second city.
The nation “should liberate all its territories,” Podolyak said.
Ukrainian troops have “likely nearly completed” the encirclement of Russian troops in Lyman in the Donetsk region, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
“Virtually all approaches, logistics routes of the enemy, through which it delivered ammunition and manpower, are already under our fire control,” Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesman for the Ukrainian eastern military grouping, told Ukrainian television.
Moscow has not commented on the situation.
Podolyak also shrugged off Putin’s announcement of a “partial” mobilization of reservists last week, with thousands called up and thousands more fleeing the country.
“The mobilization shows that Russia has run out of a professional army,” Podolyak said, adding: “This army is being replaced by absolutely untrained people. A living resource has been thrown onto the front lines, and it will simply be exterminated.”
“This may sound paradoxical, but it’s actually to our advantage that Russia has announced this mobilization,” he said. “This shows the people of Russia that the country really is at war, that it’s not doing very well in this war, and that the Russians themselves will be the ones to pay the price.”
The mobilization is prompting Kyiv to call for more weapons from its Western allies.
“For example, 100 more 155mm-caliber missiles would solve the problem, if you will excuse me for putting it that way, of additional human resources being utilized by Russia on the field of battle,” Podolyak said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed four Ukrainian territories after holding sham referendums | Kay Nietfeld/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
On Wednesday, U.S. authorities announced a $1.1 billion arms package for Ukraine, including 18 additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
“Russia now has one card left to play in this war: nuclear weapons. Against a non-nuclear nation. That’s absurd,” Podolyak said.
The worry is how Putin will react to Ukraine’s efforts to liberate the territories seized by Russia, and if the Kremlin will see that as an attack on Russia itself. However, Ukrainian attacks on Crimea and even strikes into Russia proper over the course of the seven-month war have not led to such a retaliation.
Last week, Putin warned: “We doubtlessly will use all weapons resources at our disposal … This is not a bluff.”
U.S. President Biden has warned Putin of the consequences of using nuclear or chemical weapons. Podolyak wants those warnings to be “clearly communicated” to Moscow and for “very tough retaliation measures aimed at the destruction of Russia’s defense infrastructure” to follow.
“For instance, Russia’s naval forces in the Black Sea could be completely destroyed,” he said. “This would be a proportionate response to Russia’s attempt to launch a tactical nuclear strike against the combat positions of the Ukrainian army.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine “will keep doing its job” to liberate its territory, he said.
“We have no other options when it comes to ending the war properly. We can’t leave some enclave [under Russian occupation] or create a new dividing line,” he said, referring to the frozen conflict that followed Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Donbas war in 2014-2015.
Joe Biden says US will ‘never, never, never’ recognise Russian claims to Ukrainian territories amid looming annexation.
The United States Senate has passed a short-term government funding bill that provides $12.3bn in aid to Ukraine, as the Biden administration promises to maintain financial support for Kyiv to battle the Russian invasion.
The legislation, passed by a 72-25 Senate vote on Thursday, is expected to be approved in the House of Representatives before making it to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The bill would fund the US government until mid-December, avoiding a looming shutdown before the fiscal year ends at midnight on Friday.
It also authorises the transfer of $3.7bn in US weapons to Ukraine — the latest in a series of substantial Congressional packages that American legislators say aim to bolster Ukraine’s defences against Russia.
In May, Congress approved $40bn in assistance to Ukraine, and earlier this year it allocated $13.6bn for Kyiv to respond to the invasion.
The Biden administration has been dispensing the money through periodic packages of humanitarian and military aid.
Russia launched the invasion of its neighbour in February after a months-long standoff that saw Putin demand an end to NATO expansion into former Soviet republics.
But Moscow’s military campaign has been mired by setbacks. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces — backed by US weaponry — recaptured large swaths of territory in a counteroffensive in the east of the country.
This week, Russia is preparing to annex four occupied regions in eastern Ukraine after Moscow-installed officials in the territories held widely condemned votes to join Russia.
The US and its allies have denounced the so-called “referendums” and rejected Russia’s annexation plans as a violation of the United Nations charter.
“I want to be very clear about this, [the] United States will never, never, never recognise Russia’s claims on Ukraine sovereign territory,” Biden said on Thursday.
US officials also have promised to impose new sanctions on Russia if it goes through with the annexation.
On Wednesday, the White House said the annexation push has “no legal significance whatsoever”.
Washington also pledged to “impose additional economic costs on Russia and individuals and entities inside and outside of Russia that provide support to this action“.
Aid for Ukraine has so far enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, but a vocal contingency of right-wing legislators has been questioning the assistance ahead of US midterm elections in November.
“Ukraine aid is turning into a monthly subscription cost for the United States,” Republican Congressman Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter earlier this week. “There must be limits and oversight with American taxpayer dollars.”
The EU is seeking to reset its often testy relationship with Israel next week, convening a summit on Monday of senior political figures for the first time in a decade.
The meeting format, known as the EU-Israel Association Council, has essentially been dormant since 2013, when Israel canceled a gathering in protest over the EU’s stance on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Since then, the two sides have continued to clash over similar issues.
But the 2021 exit of hardline Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened the door for current rapprochement. His replacement, Yair Lapid, who also holds the foreign minister role, has embraced a two-state solution with Palestine — a position more in line with many EU countries’ approach, even if several countries are still expected to express disapproval of Israel’s Palestinian policies on Monday. Brussels is also eager to shore up energy supplies from Israel amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Lapid is expected to attend Monday’s council meeting.
“There’s a big hope that the upcoming association council between the EU and Israel will bring … a new wind into our relationship,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told POLITICO last week at the United Nations General Assembly, expressing optimism that the development will be one of the key achievements of the Czechs’ six-month rotating EU presidency.
Still, getting EU consensus on one of the world’s most notoriously contentious conflicts is not going to be easy.
Countries like Ireland and Sweden have traditionally taken a more pro-Palestinian stance — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stopped off in Dublin for a meeting with the Irish prime minister earlier this month en route to the U.N. annual gathering. On the other end of the spectrum, Israel has strong supporters within the EU. Hungary, for example, is a staunch ally with economic and ideological bonds forged over the years between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Netanyahu.
Before the EU-Israel council went dark, it had served for more than a decade as a forum for officials to regularly meet and discuss these issues. Now, with the council set to be revived, member states are tinkering with an official communique that needs to satisfy the spectrum of views regarding EU-Israeli relations.
Finding common language can mean weeks of fighting over a single word while backroom deals are cut to appease the myriad interests at play. Palestinian officials are also watching closely, demanding not to be left out of a similar diplomatic engagement with Brussels.
The EU’s complicated role in the Israel-Palestine conflict has played out in numerous controversies this year alone.
This spring, the European Commission was forced to delay funding for the Palestinian Authority over the content of textbooks, which critics say included anti-Israeli incitements to violence.
The decision to block the funds was led by Hungarian EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. As POLITICO first reported, 15 countries sent a letter to the Commission in April blasting the move. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen finally announced the money would be disbursed during a visit to the Palestinian city Ramallah in July.
EU commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement Olivér Várhelyi | Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images
Further tensions with Tel Aviv emerged following an Israeli raid in July on the offices of Palestinian NGOs.
Israel had accused the groups — some of which received funds from EU countries — of being terrorist organizations. But numerous EU countries weren’t convinced.
In a joint statement at the time, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden all blasted Israel, saying it had not supplied “substantial information” to justify the raids. The bloc reiterated those “deep concerns” in August after further Israeli raids on civil society groups.
Another dynamic affecting the EU’s relationship with Israel is the Continent’s energy woes. As Europe scrambles to find alternative sources of Russian gas, furthering energy ties with Israel is one possible answer.
In a June visit to Israel, von der Leyen signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel and Egypt to boost gas exports. The EU is also Israel’s largest trade market and accounts for about a third of Israel’s total trade.
But while economic imperatives explain part of the new push for engagement with Israel, long-term observers say the outreach also reflects a new willingness to engage with Tel Aviv after Lapid came to power this summer. Lapid entered office as part of a power-sharing arrangement with Naftali Bennett, who held the job for a year prior to him.
“I think it is a genuine shift,” said Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, who helms the Israel-Europe Program at Mitvim Institute, an Israeli think tank. “The change of tone was made by Lapid, who shares much of the EU’s normative stance on the liberal democratic world order. It’s now much more positive than during Netanyahu’s government, even if Bennett and now Lapid government is not advancing the peace process.”
Sion-Tzidkiyahu said mutually beneficial scenarios are helping to replace “megaphone diplomacy” with closer dialogue.
“Disagreements on contentious issues such as the Palestinian or Iranian one will not disappear, but perhaps there are now better understanding for the concerns of each side,” she said.
Lipavský, the Czech foreign minister, is aware of the concerns some EU countries have about the Israeli’s government actions in the West Bank and towards Palestinians.
“We need to discuss [these concerns] openly, but I don’t think that one issue should block the debate about the others,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen poses for pictures with Israel’s Yair Lapid | Pool photo by Maya Alleruzzo/AFP via Getty Images
Officially, the EU supports the two-state solution that sees a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel — a vision also shared by the United States. But making that prospect a reality seems as far away as ever.
Sven Koopmans, the EU special representative for the Middle East peace process, wrote earlier this month that all parties needed to help identify ways to solve the man-made conflict.
“The current situation is increasingly seen as a structural human rights problem, in which Israel has the upper hand,” he wrote in the Israeli outlet Haaretz. “That negatively affects how the world perceives Israel, and holds risks for the long-term. It should not be that way.”
When it comes to resuming the peace process, Sion-Tzidkiyahu is not confident.
“Under the current political circumstances in the Palestinian Authority and Israel, such development is not foreseen,” she said. “At most, the EU can push for more practical steps by Israel to improve Palestinian’s condition.”
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 29, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– According to the Regional Reporter, a digital news aggregator covering the current military conflict over Artsakh known as Nagorno-Karabakh, the newly established humanitarian ceasefire brokered by the US failed shortly after it took effect on Oct. 26.
The Defense Ministry of Armenia reported that on Oct. 28, Azerbaijan launched missiles at the city of Stepanakert – the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh multiple times using different means, including the Smerch rocket system. According to the Ministry of Defense as well as war correspondents from WarGonzo, one of the bombs was directly fired at the Maternity Hospital of the city. WarGonzo also reports that sources in Istanbul have confirmed Turkish F-16 jets have also been used today to target civilian settlements of Artsakh by direct order from President Erdogan. Armenia’s Defense Ministry has not confirmed this fact yet. As a result of these attacks, an entire neighborhood was severely damaged and civilian infrastructure, cars and buildings burned down. Azerbaijan also fired Smerch rockets at the city of Shushi, leaving many civilians dead and wounded.
Earlier today the city of Barda in Azerbaijan was heavily bombed causing deaths among the civilian population. Azerbaijan accused Armenia of being responsible for the attacks, however, Armenia has officially denied firing at the city. In recent hours multiple tweets by Azerbaijani and Turkish people have surfaced online saying Syrian terrorists were responsible for the attacks and were planning more. The allegations were made by Azerbaijani people and were assumed to be related to Azerbaijani-Turkish leaderships not paying the Syrian fighters for being recruited to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenians all around the world have been organizing protests to raise awareness about the ongoing war in Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh initiated by Azerbaijan on September 27. Today, during one of the peaceful protests in France, a group of Turkish and Azerbaijani people attacked Armenian protesters with hammers and knives. Police have arrived at the scene. One Armenian protester was hit with a hammer on the head and a few others were injured.
To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, a group of Armenian journalists and IT professionals created Digital News Aggregator regionalreporter.org. Regional Reporter team with 80 employees are dedicated to providing transparent and unbiased information to its audience on all continents.
See the complete press release here. Press kit Regional Reporter info@regionalreporter.org https://regionalreporter.org
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 20, 2020 (Newswire.com)
–
According to Regional Reporter, as the conflict in Artsakh continues to escalate, Azerbaijan continues to violate human rights by actively bombing areas outside the conflict zone, brutally executing prisoners of war and refusing to exchange captives and withdraw wounded soldiers from the battlefield.
On Oct. 16, members of Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces called the brother of an Armenian soldier and told him they beheaded his brother and were going to post his photo on social media. Several hours later, the brother found that photo on his killed brother’s social media page.
The Greek diplomats in Baku feel threatened as specific incidents against the embassy members are undertaken, posing a threat to their security. The situation around the Greek Embassy in Azerbaijan escalated quickly after the urgent visit of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to Armenia on Thursday and their open diplomatic support for Armenia.
Armenia’s Ministry of Defense reports that due to Azerbaijan’s aggression many civilian settlements were damaged in the territory of Armenia proper. Schools in the Armenian villages of Sotk and Kut were damaged by adversary drones that caused shattered windows and cracked walls. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry reports, “After the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan reached an agreement on the establishment of humanitarian truce on Oct. 18, 2020, an attempt was made to reach an agreement to withdraw the wounded soldiers from the battlefield, through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross. However, this step was categorically rejected by Baku.”
“If the only solution to the current conflict is the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh, there is no need to hesitate. As an individual, I am in favor of self-determination,” the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo told Nouvelles d’Armenie. “Baku is clearly the aggressor in this conflict, supported by Turkey.”
Syrian Observatory activists have confirmed that the Turkish government has transported a new batch of mercenaries from Syria to Azerbaijan, comprising over 400 fighters of “Sultan Murad,” “Al-Hamza Division,” and other factions. According to them, the total number of Syrian fighters sent to Azerbaijan has risen to at least 2,050.
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 17, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, Armenia’s tech community leaders came together to form the Global Awareness initiative.
Latest news from the front line of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh:
Contrary to the claims of the Azerbaijani side that the two videos of executions of two Armenian prisoners of war were fabricated by Armenia, a thorough analysis of the video proves that the footage and content were real. The analysis was released by an ex-British Army officer and open source analyst Nick Waters in an investigative journalist article for bellingcat. This video was initially posted on Azerbaijani Telegram channels alongside a description stating that the two men captured were Armenian soldiers. By analyzing several criteria, such as the uniforms, weapons, geolocation and date in the videos, the author concludes that the video is genuine and the detainees appear to have been transported away from Armenian lines and towards Azerbaijani lines before they were executed.
Major General of the Libyan National Army Ahmed al-Mismari confirms that Turkey sends terrorists to Azerbaijan. ”Thousands of terrorists, Syrian and of other nationalities, have been sent to Libya by Turkey using the Mitiga and Misrata airports. Now Turkey uses those airports to send Libyan, Syrian and other terrorists to Azerbaijan,” Ahmed al-Mismari told Sky News Arabia.
On October 16, violating the ceasefire agreement signed on October 10, Azerbaijan launched heavy shelling again on Stepanakert and other communities in Artsakh. The office of the human rights defender of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan reports that three peaceful civilians were wounded in the village of Shosh. No data on the casualties is reported yet.
Two Hamza Militants, who came back to Syria after fighting for Turkey in the war against Artsakh, were interviewed. They reported that Syrians were used as human shields while the Azerbaijani army was always at least 200 meters behind them. He also stated that around 1,000 fighters were sent initially, out of which 300 were allowed to return, while most of the rest died.
Armenian doctors in Artsakh performed surgery and treated an Azerbaijani captive. He is currently under medical care. This comes shortly after a video was leaked where Azerbaijani soldiers brutally killed two handcuffed and unarmed Armenian prisoners of war and beheaded a soldier.
The Parliament of Luxembourg unanimously adopted a motion condemning the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh, Turkey’s involvement in the conflict and supporting all initiatives for an immediate ceasefire.
A poster with a little Azerbaijani girl, who is seemingly crying, has gone viral on social media as part of an anti-Armenian campaign. Around the same time, images and videos of the shooting’s backstage surfaced online where the mother of the little girl was encouraging her to cry harder, then proudly noting her ‘little princess’ was a model. Many called this “exploiting children to encourage audience pity.”
In the presence of the honorary consul of Armenia, the Milan City Council has unanimously approved a motion calling on the Italian authorities to recognize the Republic of Artsakh and condemn the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression.
In a recent Twitter trend, a few days before the war, Azerbaijani people were discussing whether or not they would kill an Armenian child. An overwhelming number of responders stated that they wouldn’t even hesitate to do so, as “Armenians are the enemy of the Azerbaijani people.” Some of them mentioned that had they killed babies in the 90s war, there would be no Armenians to fight today.
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 15, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, Armenia’s tech community leaders came together to form the Global Awareness initiative.
Latest news from the frontline of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh:
In the afternoon of Oct. 14, the Minister of Defense of Armenia reports that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have targeted hospitals in Artsakh where civilians also receive medical treatment. During the day, there has been more shelling in the town of Martuni, their artillery hit a local kindergarten. These are violations of the humanitarian ceasefire and gross violation of international humanitarian law.
On Oct. 14, Azerbaijan targeted the territory of the Republic of Armenia adjacent to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The attack was made on sheer assumptions that the military equipment, which was on Armenian soil, “intended” to start fire towards Azerbaijan. As a result of Azerbaijan’s unprovoked aggression on the territory of Armenia, a 14-year-old teenager was wounded.
The Democratic nominee for president, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris both issued separate statements on the escalating military conflict in Karabakh. In his statement, Joe Biden particularly said, “I am deeply concerned by the collapse of the October 10 ceasefire and the resumption of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.” Biden also added that the Trump Administration must tell Azerbaijan that it will not tolerate its efforts to impose a military solution to this conflict.
Azerbaijani peace activists Narmin Shahmarzade and Giyas Ibrahimov have been called to the Prosecutor’s Office for questioning. They were told that though there is “freedom of speech,” the views they express publicly can “result in something more serious against the state’s interests.” The two activists also have received harassment statements, as well as threats to their lives. On Oct. 13, three journalists were detained for their professional activities.
Azerbaijan’s MOD has published a video “they filmed in captured Hadrut.” But an analysis by a Russia-based verification team claims the video was actually filmed in a neighboring village, Tagaser. The analysts suggest that some parts of the video might have been recorded during Azerbaijan’s militant invasion of Hadrut’s two days ago. The publishing of the video comes after Ilham Aliyev’s unfounded claims that Hadrut had been successfully captured by the Azerbaijani Army, which the Ministry of Defense of Artsakh immediately denied.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Turkey has recruited hundreds of fighters from Syrian militias to join Azerbaijan in fighting Armenia over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Hundreds more are preparing to go, according to two Syrians involved in the effort.
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 13, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, Armenia’s tech community leaders came together to form the Global Awareness initiative.
Latest news from the frontline of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh:
The National managed to talk to a Syrian fighter from the Sultan Murad Brigade currently in Azerbaijan. The National reveals that army officers order Syrians to attack, while Azerbaijani troops, who were supposed to be fighting with them, “are kilometres behind us.” “The Turks put us in such a position that we can’t any more escape from here,” said Ibrahim, who accepted the job to support his family.
The General Prosecutor of Azerbaijan accuses the WarGonzo blogger Semyon Pegov of “illegally crossing” the border of Nagorno-Karabakh, openly supporting terrorism, and calling for anti-state acts. These accusations came after he showed a video of himself in Hadrut with the Artsakh Defense Army, dismissing the statement of Ilham Aliyev that Azeri troops had captured the town. Azerbaijani people have also openly threatened and demanded Pegov’s death for his “pro-Armenian” coverage.
The government of Azerbaijan is getting increasingly worried as people in Baku start protesting about the classified losses in the Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh conflict. People demand for the numbers to be revealed, as they don’t believe that the statement by the president, claiming their losses are less than the Armenian ones, is legitimate.
Despite numerous warnings, Azerbaijan keeps targeting the civilian population and infrastructure in an aggressive manner. According to the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh, as of October 9, 20 civilians have been killed and 101 injured since the attacks started on September 27. All attacks on civilians were pre-planned and targeted.
Azerbaijani army has repeatedly violated the humanitarian ceasefire announced two days ago. During the first night of the ceasefire, the army kept shelling not only the capital Stepanakert, but also Shushi, Martuni and many other villages. Civilians had to spend the night in shelters. Houses and other properties were severely damaged.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, under the guise of humanitarian cargo, a significant number of attack UAVs are being supplied to Azerbaijan from Turkey and Israel.
Global Initiative reports that a humanitarian ceasefire was announced to take effect on Oct. 10, 12:00 local time by Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan. However, less than an hour after the effective time, Azerbaijan opened fire.
Press Release –
updated: Oct 11, 2020
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 11, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, Armenia’s tech community leaders came together to form the Global Awareness initiative.
What’s happening on the frontline of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)
The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia reports that before the announcement of the humanitarian ceasefire, Azerbaijan attempted a subversive-intelligence infiltration in the direction of Hadrut. Russian military journalists from WarGonzo report that the adversary is assumed to be part of a foreign army, possibly Turkish Special Forces. The attempt came after Ilham Aliyev’s announcement on Oct. 9, 2020, about having captured the Hadrut region. However, president Aliyev’s statement was immediately officially denied by the Ministry of Defense of Armenia as well as by reporters from WarGonzo, who were physically in the Hadrut area.
After 11 hours of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a humanitarian ceasefire was confirmed to start at 12:00 local time. Leading up to the ceasefire, Azerbaijan ramped up its shelling on Armenian civilian targets. At 12:00 it stopped. According to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, the ceasefire lasted only about an hour before Azerbaijan launched attacks on the Southern province of Armenia proper, capital Stepanakert of Artsakh, and Hadrut.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army reports that less than 2 hours before the ceasefire between Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan takes effect, the Azerbaijani army launches drone strikes towards the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
The Staff of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh got concrete information that the Azerbaijani subversive group which entered Hadrut town in the morning killed 2 civilians in their home – the mother and her son with a disability.
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 10, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– To stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan and spread awareness in the international community, Armenia’s tech community leaders came together to form the Global Awareness initiative.
What’s happening on the frontline of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)
CNN held an interview with the president of Azerbaijan, where he was asked about the presence of Turkish F-16s in their territory. The president confirmed they are in the base. The statement of the president contradicts the one made by his assistant Hikmat Hajiyev a day before, where he claimed there were no F-16 fighter-jets on their soil.
The Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh published a document, where it’s clearly seen that under the authoritarian regime of the Aliyev clan there has been a rise in Armenophobia across Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the situation is not only in politics but also among the people of Azerbaijan and the educational system.
Recently there have been thousands of pages created by Azerbaijani people trying to spread national propaganda across Facebook and Instagram. Facebook removed 589 Facebook accounts, 7,906 Pages and 447 accounts on Instagram, which were used to boost pro-government activities. These accounts even attacked influential people like Cardi B and Elton John, threatening and forcing them to remove their posts. Facebook cited these as “coordinated inauthentic behavior.”
The City Council of Geneva City just adopted a Resolution (49 yes, 18 abstentions, 2 no) condemning the military aggression of Azerbaijan, recognizing the right of the Armenians from Karabagh to self-determination, and demanding from the federal government to freeze the assets of the Aliyev family in Switzerland.
This has resulted in many civilian casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure, garnering the attention of the international community.
Press Release –
updated: Oct 7, 2020
YEREVAN, Armenia, October 7, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– Armenia’s tech community leaders have come together to form Global Awareness, an initiative to spread awareness in the international community and stop disinformation surrounding the current conflict with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
As the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh continues to escalate, more awareness is now being spread by both international media outlets and world leaders. Azerbaijan continues to violate human rights by actively bombing Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital. This has resulted in many civilian casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure, garnering the attention of the international community.
Further updates on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as of Oct. 6, 2020:
Canada has suspended all military export permits to Turkey due to concerns centered around human rights violations. Foreign affairs minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has stated: “Canada continues to be concerned by the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting in shelling of communities and civilian casualties.”
RT correspondent Murad Gadziev reports that Syrian al Nusra jihadists are now being deployed to Karabakh to fight for Azerbaijan – head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Agency informed. Nusra, also known as Al Qaeda in Syria, is the dominant rebel faction in Idlib, and second only to ISIS in infamy.
Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti says LA is proud to be home to the largest Armenian diaspora and condemns the violence visited upon Artsakh and Armenia by Azerbaijan.
On Oct. 6, the Armenian Ministry of Defense made an official announcement that no fire was launched at Azerbaijan from the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The MoD has also stated that all allegations stating otherwise, especially from the side of Azerbaijan, are intentional lies.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 9, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– What are the Les Jeunes du Monde Unis Awards? In a world rampant with poverty and conflict, The Les Jeunes du Monde Unis association works across all five continents, aiming to promote the fundamental values necessary for mankind to prosper and coexist.
On the 12 November 2018, The Les Jeunes du Monde Unis association will be honouring individuals they believe have made outstanding contributions within their respective humanitarian and ecological fields. Whether it be their tireless and selfless work with the community, extraordinary innovations or assiduous bravery in standing up against corruption, the recipients of the Les Jeunes du Monde Unis “Values Awards 2018” have all fought valiantly to make the world a better place.
The award ceremony will take place at the Casino de Madrid, following a short reception and a fashion show by the virtuoso designer Ehsan Chamoun – all after a weekend of Youth Leadership seminars, workshops and activities hosted by Les Jeunes du Monde Unis that not only attempt to educate leaders, but provide them with the utensils necessary to co-operate and creatively coalesce with influential leaders across the world.
The recipients of the Les Jeunes du Monde Unis Awards remind us that any one individual can make a profound difference. We can, and should all be foot soldiers in the fight for social, economic, political and ecological progression and justice.
Global Values Award (Padre Angel Garcia Rodriguez)
Padre Angel Garcia Rodriguez is the founder of the Messengers of Peace Association and Founding President of the Golden Age Association. He is also known as the ‘Father Angel’, who has created projects improving the quality of life of those who are vulnerable in society. This moved beyond The Spanish border more than two decades ago, improving welfare for underprivileged populations in developing countries.
Literature Award – Shared Global Values (Mrs. Joanna Jarecka-Gomez)
Joanna Jarecka-Gomez, Deputy Secretary-General of the EPP Group and director of External Policies-Regions, where she holds responsibility for EU regional external policy. She was head of EPP Group’s International Relations Service since 2010 after serving as Head of the Interparliamentary Delegations Unit for three years. Her intrepid work in International diplomacy and development has paved the way for many men, women and children living in poverty to receive an access to literature and education they hadn’t previously been privy to.
Peace Award – National and International Reconciliation (President Abdelaziz Bouteflika)
The president of Algeria is the head of state and chief executive of Algeria, as well as being commander in chief of the Algerian People’s National Armed Forces. He is the longest-serving president of Algeria, where he has helped end the Algerian Civil War in 2002 and settled states of emergency amidst civil unrest.
Conservation Award – Visual Artist for Social Change (Mr. Adrian Steirn)
Adrian Steirn is a photographer and filmmaker, whose work in South Africa, through his photo-journalism project 21 Icons and Beautiful News, a platform that celebrates the extraordinary fabric of human nature. His work has been a showpiece for how positive journalism can fundamentally change communities, with his work bringing global attention to key issues such as poaching in Southern Africa, and the illegal ivory trade perpetrated by the Mugabe regime. His tireless work in this field reflects a compulsion to fight corruption and bureaucratic malfeasance.
Economic Award – Economic Sustainability (Mr. Jack Ma)
Jack Ma co-founded and chairs the Alibaba Group, one of the world’s largest ecommerce businesses. Born into a poor family in eastern China, Mr. Ma began his career as an English teacher before becoming a self-made billionaire. He has been an unbelievably generous donor – pouring money into education across many of the poorest, rural areas of China
Through the encouragement of education, and their energy and enthusiasm in the fight against poverty, intolerance, malfeasance, conflict and income inequality, these individuals have fought to make the world a more fair, dignified place.
The Les Jeunes Du Monde Unis association is proud to honour them for their compassion and tireless endeavour. For more information, visit www.lesjeunesdumondeunis.com.
Please contact jackf@ippublicity.com for enquiries
