Armenian armed forces violate humanitarian cease-fire 
The occupying Armenian armed forces, in violation of the norms and principles of international law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and the requirements of the humanitarian cease-fire agreed after its own persistent requests in Moscow, continue to deliberately target residential settlements in Azerbaijan with heavy artillery fire.
As a result of the rocket fire of the Armenian armed forces on an apartment building in the central part of Ganja, the second-largest city in the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is located away from the front line, nine people, including four women, were killed and 34 people, including 16 women and six minors, were injured. Also, more than 10 apartment buildings and over 100 different facilities were damaged. Rescue operations are currently underway to rescue civilians trapped under the rubble.
The shelling of civilians and cities by the Armenian armed forces after the agreement for a humanitarian cease-fire is another clear indication of the barbarism and hypocrisy of the Armenian military and political leadership’s calls for a truce. Armenia’s deliberate firing on civilians, homes, civilian sites and medical personnel as part of its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan once again violates the fundamental norms of international law — including international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions — represents a flagrant violation of its obligations, and shows that this country is far from ordinary humanism. Armenia’s heavy artillery and rocket fire on civilians, apartment buildings and civilian sites is a clear confirmation of the occupying country’s policy of terrorism at state level.
At the same time, the enemy is shamelessly trying to cover up its crimes in the foreign media, including by using social networks, and is attempting to deny its illegal actions by circulating reports aimed at evading responsibility for committing them.
However, as always, the enemy’s attempts to cover up its ugly deeds and terrorist crimes will not work. Photos and videos circulated by local and foreign media at the scene expose Armenian lies yet again.
• Shahin Abdullayev is Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
