Azeri president brags about intentionally targeting civilian facility

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev admitted on Friday, October 9 that his country's army has intentionally targeted civilian infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh․

Aliyev said the Azeri troops have destroyed the House of Culture in Shushi, where Arayik Harutyunyan was inaugurated as Karabakh President in May.

"We could have bombed Shushi when they were holding the swearing-in ceremony, but we didn't do it then, despite many asked me to. Now let him (Arayik Harutyunyan - Ed.) look at the building where he took an oath," Aliyev said in a televised speech.

The Azerbaijani army opened a rocket fire and almost entirely destroyed the House of Culture of Shushi, which was opened in 2017. Azerbaijan has also struck the iconic Ghazanchetsots Cathedral of the city.

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey, launched 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. International and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages, as well as the iconic Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support Karabakh amid Azerbaijan's aggression.