OAS slams Azerbaijan's violence, supports Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has strongly condemned the recent military aggression of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan unleashed a large-scale offensive against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27, shelling Armenian positions and civilian settlements with large caliber weapons and rocket systems. Armenia and Karabakh have introduced martial law and total mobilization. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military.

According to a statement from the organization, Azerbaijan ignores calls from the United Nations to achieve a peaceful solution to conflict, as well as to promote long-lasting peace and stability.

"We call on Azerbaijan to immediately cease hostilities, especially those directed towards civilians. As we have mentioned before, the practice of attacking civilians as military targets must be banished and constitutes a complete violation of most basic rules governing armed conflict," the OAS said.

"Equally important, we call on foreign powers to abstain from intervening in the armed conflict with the purpose of escalating the crisis."

The organization expressed full support for the people of Karabakh.