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Both Armenia and Azerbaijan must immediately stop the use of heavy explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated civilian areas, Amnesty International warned today.
Experts from Amnesty International’s Crisis Response team have examined available evidence strongly suggesting the use of notoriously inaccurate ballistic missiles and rocket artillery salutes that have caused widespread deaths, injuries and damage to civilians in recent days, in apparent violation of international humanitarian law.
Civilians continue to die, injured and homeless as reckless attacks ruin lives and reduce houses to rubble
Civilian casualties and serious damage to civilian buildings were reported, especially in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja, which has repeatedly suffered artillery shelling from the Armenian side in recent days, as well as in the Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh region.
“Evidence of the use of ballistic missiles and other explosive weapons with wide area effects in civilian neighborhoods tells a story of shocking disregard for life and the laws of war,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Acting Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. .
“Civilians continue to be killed, injured and homeless as reckless attacks ruin lives and reduce houses to rubble.
“Photographic and video evidence shows the devastating damage these weapons can cause when hospitals and schools have reportedly been destroyed and other vital civilian infrastructure such as roads and communication networks damaged.
“Once again, we call on all parties to the conflict to prioritize the protection of civilians and respect international humanitarian law. The use of these types of weapons and weapon systems in populated areas must be stopped immediately. “
Amnesty International previously warned against the use of banned cluster bombs, after its experts he found that Azerbaijan had probably used the weapons in the region. Azerbaijan has denounced the use of cluster munitions by Armenia, but Amnesty International has not yet been able to verify these allegations. The organization calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the global treaty banning weapons.
Background
On September 27, heavy fighting broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the Armenian-backed forces in the separated Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. In recent weeks, thousands of civilians have been displaced as both sides have continued to exchange artillery and rocket fire, despite attempts to negotiate an end to hostilities.
