Armenia is proud of its past, determined for its future: 100 LIVES

PanARMENIAN.Net - The founders of 100 LIVES initiative and the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity issued a statement on the current situation and the latest escalation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone.

Committed to international peace, human rights, and the right of all people to live a decent and dignified life, the founders expressed concern over the safety and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

At the same time, they said, these sobering events demonstrate the necessity of bringing together the international community to declare its solidarity for the victims of violence, here and around the world.

“Later this month, hundreds of international leaders will arrive in Yerevan to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide and, through the Aurora Prize, honor today’s humanitarians for risking their lives to save those of others. Over the past week, it has become apparent that, now more than ever, it is necessary to recognize and honor the extraordinary individuals—indeed, the heroes—who fight for universal principles and who strive to save lives. Their stories are glimmers of light in times of darkness, and underscore that violence is never the solution,” the statement says.

“Throughout history, while Armenians have mourned their dead, they have never given up on life. On April 24, the international community will witness a resurgent nation that is proud of its past and determined for its future. We look forward to welcoming these leaders to Yerevan to celebrate the Aurora Prize finalists’ incredible contributions to the humanitarian cause.”

The parties to the Karabakh conflict agreed on a bilateral ceasefire along the contact line which came into force at midday, April 5.

Prior to that, on the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh.

As many as 64 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 122 were wounded in the course of military operations.

As of April 5, the Azerbaijani side has lost 26 tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as 1 BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, 1 engineering vehicle, 2 military helicopters and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Azerbaijani side has admitted the loss of 31 fighters, 1 helicopter and 1 unmanned drones, whereas the Armenian side's photo and video materials show dozens of killed Azerbaijani troops, 1 helicopter and 3 UAVs. Opposition media outlets, however, reported on the death of 81 Azerbaijani soldiers, stating that 6 more have gone missing. According to Karabakh authorities, 300 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in clashes.

14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.