News - Tigran Abrahamyan: Major international actors are keen on prolonging the conflict in Artsakh and escalating casualties

Despite Azerbaijan's official declarations of readiness for negotiations, it appears that they are avoiding substantive discussions, suggesting that the bloodshed will persist. Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the opposition "With Honor" Faction of the National Assembly of Armenia and a security expert, wrote this on Facebook. Abrahamyan remarked, 'Even now, international actors are not effectively taking action to halt the war. We've come to understand that the Armenian government is passively observing these developments, and it's evident that various geopolitical issues hinder intervention. However, the people residing in Artsakh should not become pawns in these complex geopolitical problems.' He concluded with a plea: 'Put an end to the conflict; otherwise, it becomes increasingly apparent that major international actors may also have an interest in prolonging the war and escalating casualties.' As previously reported by NEWS.am, Azerbaijan's Armed Forces initiated artillery fire along the entire line of contact in Nagorno Karabakh on September 19, starting at 1 p.m., in an attempt to breach the defense line of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Forces. Presently, Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, and other settlements are enduring heavy shelling. Gegham Stepanyan, the Human Rights Defender of Nagorno Karabakh, has documented multiple casualties and injuries among civilians, including children. As of September 20, fighting continues along the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh with varying degrees of intensity. Units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are employing various weapons not only to maintain their positional advance but also to target civilian infrastructure. As of 03:00, September 20, according to the information received by the Office of the Human Rights Defender, the number of civilian casualties in Artsakh as a result of Azerbaijani aggression has reached 7, including 3 women, 2 children, and 2 men. There are also 35 injured persons among the civilian population: 13 children, 15 women and 7 men.