Update: Azerbaijan Launches Wide-Scale Attack on NKR

Attack Repelled; Casualties Include 12-Year-Old Karabagh Boy

Azerbaijan launched a full-blown attack on multiple positions of the Nagorno-Karabagh contact line overnight on April 1-2.

Azerbaijan launched a full-blown attack on multiple positions of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Line of Contact (LoC) overnight on April 1-2. The Azerbaijani Army employed tanks, military helicopters, drones, and various caliber weapons in an assault that targeted the LoC on the southern, southeastern, and northeastern fronts. The NKR Defense Army retaliated and, according to the NKR Defense Ministry Twitter page, brought down two helicopters and two drones, and destroyed three tanks. Multiple casualties were reported on both sides. Civilians were also targeted. According to reports, 12-year-old Vaghinag Grigoryan was killed in the Marduni region, and two other children were wounded, from a Grad BM-21 multiple rocket launcher attack.

During an emergency meeting of Armenia’s National Security Council held on the evening of April 2, Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisian announced that as a result of the attacks, the Armenian side had suffered 18 casualties, with 35 people were injured. Azerbaijan’s losses—including to its air force, personnel, and armored vehicles—were “significant,” he added, according to PanArmenian.net. Azerbaijan reported 12 combatant casualties, although the NKR Defense Ministry maintained that the Azerbaijani side had suffered 200 losses.

A number of Armenian soldiers wounded in the attack are being flown to Yerevan for medical treatment, according to PanArmenian.net. NKR president spokesperson Davit Babayan told Civilnet that the number of Azerbaijani casualties were in the dozens, if not hundreds. Babayan told Tert.am that the situation is relatively calm following the overnight attacks.

According to reports, Sarkisian was briefed on the attack midair, on his way to Yerevan from Washington, D.C. NKR Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan immediately returned to Artsakh from Yerevan.

The site of the downed Azerbaijani helicopter (Photo: Artsakh Press)
The site of the downed Azerbaijani helicopter (Photo: Artsakh Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an immediate ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has reached out to his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts—Seyran Ohanyan and Zakir Hasanov, respectively—to help quash the situation.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian called for immediate Obama Administration action to stop Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s latest attacks against Nagorno-Karabagh—the worst since the ceasefire established in 1994.

The attack comes after the conclusion of the 4th Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C.; participants to the summit included Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

On the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit, Aliyev met with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. According to the Azerbaijani president’s official website, “[Biden] said the USA resolutely supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, adding that this was of great importance for the United States.”

The ANCA strongly criticized Biden’s meeting with Aliyev. “Vice President Biden, in personally meeting Azerbaijani President Aliyev in this manner—without any public challenge to his escalating regional aggression and worsening domestic repression—openly emboldened his belligerence while actively undermining American efforts to keep the peace and reach a negotiated settlement,” said Hamparian.

The ANCA also criticized Secretary of State John Kerry for failing to mention concerns regarding Azerbaijan’s track record of ceasefire—as well as domestic human rights—violations to Aliyev. “Secretary Kerry in his public remarks with President Aliyev, regretfully, made no mention at all of any American concerns regarding President Aliyev’s threats and acts of violence or his crackdown on domestic dissent. There has, as well, been no mention, in the public record, of the life-saving Royce-Engel peace proposals that the State Department has publicly supported.”

“The Obama Administration’s failure, in Washington, to confront Azerbaijan’s aggression gave Aliyev the green light to launch these attacks on Karabagh,” said Hamparian.  “Immediate action must be taken by the Obama Administration to stop President Aliyev’s latest attacks, along with concrete steps to ensure a lasting peace in the region which respects the right to self-determination and freedom for the people of Nagorno-Karabagh.”

Meanwhile the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group—Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, James Warlick of the United States, and Pierre Andrieu of France—issued a statement expressing “grave concern” over the ceasefire violations. “We strongly condemn the use of force and regret the senseless loss of life, including civilians,” read the statement. “The co-chairs call upon the sides to stop shooting and take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground. They reiterate that there is no alternative to a peaceful negotiated solution of the conflict and that war is not an option.”

#StopAliyev
#StopAliyev

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Supreme Body in Armenia also issued a statement condemning the attack, and declaring that the ARF stands beside the governments of the NKR and Armenia in their efforts to safeguard the security of both republics and their populations, reported Aztag Daily. The ARF also called on all Armenian organizations and the public to respond to Azerbaijan’s aggression in a unified manner to impose peace on the aggressor.

The ANCA has urged the public to take action by sending a webmail to President Obama, Congress, and the OSCE Karabagh negotiators urging them to take immediate action to stop Baku’s latest attacks. To take action, click here.

33 Comments

  1. When will the Armenian & Artsakh Government wake up & start attacking the Azeri’s whom are killing are our military & village people in Artsakh month after month with no help from the U.S. & Naions around the world. Our Organizations in the Diaspora are not doing enough on this issue to get Washington on a wake up call to help Armenia before the Azeri’s take back Artsakh.

  2. Considering that Azerbaijan has five time the population (10 million versus 2 million) of Armenia/Artsakh, these firefights are far more damaging to the Armenians. To stay “even”, Azeri casualties should be five times of that of the Armenians. The Armenians can’t afford the war of attrition Azerbaijan has practicing for years. The Armenian side should take aggressive military action to discourage Baku from continuing its war of attrition.

    • {Considering that Azerbaijan has five time the population (10 million versus 2 million)}

      Your information is a little dated: Azerbaijan is now 100 million people, and Armenia has dropped down below 1 million.
      The situation is really hopeless.

      {The Armenian side should take aggressive military action….}

      All the aggressive guys have already left Armenia.
      If only some aggressive keyboard warriors went to Armenia and showed them how to take aggressive military action.

  3. why don’t we push forward all the way to baku, a lightning strike.
    that is the only thing they will understand.
    this will show who is superior and will settle this conflict for once and for all.
    governments just talk without taking any action.

    • {why don’t we push forward all the way to baku, a lightning strike.}

      Why don’t “we”?

      I take it you are amongst the 100s of Armenian volunteers in Artsakh signing up to go to the front right now?
      Please post some pics of you proudly standing in Baku, in uniform, when you get there.

  4. Well- who gave t he toys-azeris get it from the turks and israelis and we know it–perfect to pound them azeriz with a lash they will never know what him em-should we wait- more of our God loving people will die-blast them azeris to the hell quickly-

  5. And, as could have been predicted, “the Co-Chairs call upon THE SIDES–not the one who launched the attack–to stop shooting and take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground.” Political prostitutes…

  6. I say damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead …to Baku. The Turks understand and respect one thing only, brute force.

  7. Sultan Edog ordered his elite Azerbaijani Blue Turban Brigade to attack Armenia to draw the Russians into a ground war to claim Russia is not objective in the OSCE-Minsk group. It is Edog’s payback for Russia’s sanctions against turkey…

  8. STOP Baku’s little-Aliyev-khan’s genocidal war against heroic Armenians of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh!

  9. The double standard policy of Administration to be stopped and Azerbaijans aggression to be condemned by White House, Alyev is a currupt and authoritarian ruler worse than Ordugan , suppressing his subjects and the decedents, attaking with Helicopters killing civilians

  10. Both Kerry and Biden “support Azerbaijan’s territorial Integrity”. Another example of the baby being thrown out with the bath water. Armenians only hope is a new president that doesn’t play sides.

  11. We can’t depend on friends or foes anymore. We need to get our armed forces upgraded and provided with the most recent arms. And then we can silence those who say they uphold territorial integrity. Look at Israel.
    The double talk of the superpowers that they believe in territorial integrity is not true. How did Cosovo and southern Sudan got their independence. By arm twisting of the superpowers on the Sudanese government.

    • And you’re going to help pay for it too right? That’s not going to be cheap. Armenia signed a $200M loan last year with Russia to buy more weapons.

  12. Artsakh historically was never Azerbbaijani territory.
    Stalin took Arttsakh from Armenia and gave it to Azerbaijan.
    Biden, Kerry and Obama administration are justifying and defending Stalin’s decision.

  13. It is now time for Armenia to recognize Artsakh’s independence, followed by other countries. They will never stop attacking Artsakh. Intelligence reports indicated a major war with Azerbaijan within these 25 years. This is only the beginning. It is not the 90s, stop the patriotic rhetoric. Unless Russia stops Azerbaijan or if Armenians have secret weapons, we will not win this time. Azeris now have more money, more troops, more tanks, artillery, but similar air power. Not to mention backed by US-Turkey-Israel who want to destabilize the region and couldn’t care less about Armenians. Russia is a wildcard, who knows what they will do. Our best ally allow also sells weapons to our enemy.

  14. ARMENIA AND ARMENIANS WAKE UP TO HELL WITH WORLD OPINION WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER GENOCIDE AZERBAIJAN AND SPINELESS WORLD LEADERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE UNNECESSARY DEATHS.AZERBAIJAN IS GUILTY OF AGGRESSION WITH WORLD APPEASEMENT.

  15. Forget about the US, Israel, they have no prinicipals. They have only one thing in mind, OIL and arm sales. They would not have a clue about anything else – we have all seen what they have done around the world. Shame to the US, Israel and all those other countries who supply arms to this mob – the azeri’s.

  16. Obama’s administration is causing turmoil in Syria, Libya ,Tunisia , Now in Armenia, Biden is partly responsible for the attack on Armenia period with his latest comments ,

  17. Fair warning. Armenia & Azerbaijan are asking, with military conflict, for Russia to intervene to solve their problems. The US, Turkey, and NATO can do NOTHING to protect your countries from Russia given military conflict; your countries border Russia. The stakes are gargantuan, for Russia would then be empowered to take over Georgia as well. Please settle your differences before a large bear does this for you.

    • {Please settle your differences before a large bear does this for you.}

      How much or how little do you know about Armenian history to give that impertinent advice?
      “Differences”? what “differences” are you talking about?
      Do you consider fighting for the right to live as Armenians, as Christians on their ancestral lands “differences”?
      Do you consider fighting to prevent another Genocide of Armenians by (Caucasus) Turks “differences”?

      Please keep your “fair warning” and unsolicited advice to yourself.
      And please don’t insult Armenians while visiting ArmenianWeekly.
      As in ARMENIAN-Weekly.
      Please, pretty please: OK?

    • Your comment suggests that you’re either uninformed or deliberately triggering anti-Russian sentiments on the pages of Armenian online publication.

      First, the warring sides are not “asking” Russia to intervene to solve their problems. Had everything been left on Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan—without any kind of interference of outsiders—the conflict would have already been resolved.

      Second, Armenia does not border Russia.

      Third, Armenia does not expect the US and NATO to protect her. If, as you think, the US, Turkey, and NATO can do nothing to “protect regional countries from Russia”, then I suggest they shut the h*** up and stop sticking their noses into the affairs of the region.

      Forth, tensions between Russia and Georgia did not result from or in any way were influenced by the conflict around NK. The 2008 Russo-Georgian War is a conclusive proof of this.

      Lastly, again, had everything been left on the sides of the conflict with no outside politico-military interference and Western economic interests in the Azeri oil, our differences would have long been settled.

  18. Let’s pray for our Hyes as they defend Karabagh. Armenians in America need to wake up. Our enemy is in Washington, D.C. that includes Democrats and Republicans. The Turks and Azeri’s know they have America’s backing. Most disturbing is that Obama and his cabinet signaled the green light to Baku to launch its attack. May they all rot in hell. An attack on our fellow Hyes is an attack on all Armenians. Standfast Karabagh …

  19. I just hope the Russians don’t undermine the Armenians in some sort of ‘deal’. As long as they stay neutral and just do their job: deter Turkey from a direct intervention with Armenia, then I believe that the Armenian military will do its job with Azerbaijan. God bless the Armenian military. ONE ARMENIA: Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora.

    Its important also, in my opinion, for All Armenians to go on blogs and correctly educate the correct history of these ancient Armenian lands being given away by the Bolsheviks, Joseph Stalin, in a deal with Turkish Kemalist in the treaty of Kars and the treaty of Friendship signed Oct 13, 1921.. Artsakh doesn’t belong to Azerbaijan at all. This TRUTH will never be told on Western news. Correct everyone otherwise they will distort the facts.!

    • Russians have already undermined Armenia by selling Azerbaijan $3B worth of weapons and which were just used to attack us…

    • Think big. It might well be that by selling weapons to Azerbaijan the Russians knew that someday in the future belligerent AliOFF would attempt to use them and the Armenians would counter the attack—with weapons that the Russians gave them—so that the Russians could contain both Turkey-leaning Azerbaijan and Turkey proper. We don’t really think that the Russians have forgotten the downing of their warplane by the Turks, do we? Maybe the time for retaliation is now? Think big…

  20. Losses during the three days of fighting (based on independent sources):

    Armenian forces: 18 KIA and 2 school children, 1 tank.

    Azeri forces: 200 KIA, 15 tanks, 5 armored vehicles, 1 multiple rocket launcher GRAD, 2 helicopters, 2 combat drones.

  21. Nature and history teach us only the strong survives.Some of these major world controlled countries are now run buy corrupt politicians they betray their conscious and the principle of their own countries. Look at our government on one side fights with ISIS and on another give them / Turkey money and arms; knowing that anyone from anywhere in the world go though Turkey to join ISIS; that means Turkey is ISIS supporter and is ISIS itself. Turkey lies going fighting and hitting ISIS instead it goes and hit Kurds who are truly fighting ISIS. US and Europe know what ISIS is doing / beheading to others.
    Mideast were only Jews and Christians and others they are all disappearing in the resurface of ISIS. And US and Europe Know they will do the same if they defeat Armenians as they have done to them though out the history.
    Therfore only united and strong Armenia will Suvive.

  22. Blow up some of the Azeri pipelines that supply their own needs. That will cause enough hardship to make them think twice before attacking us again. Blow some of their exporting pipelines to stop the cash coming in, the cash they use for buying western expertise and arms which has helped train them over the past decades. Increase our surveillance via drones so we are ready every time to retaliate severly.

  23. At the end of the day, we thank Aliyev for reminding Armenians that the enemy is the Turk and not the Armenian government.

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