U.S. lawmakers slam Baku's escalation of hostilities in Artsakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus, on Saturday, April 2, released a statement condemning the newest wave of large-scale attacks by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh.

"I strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s escalation of hostilities against Nagorno Karabakh, and I join the Obama Administration in urging an immediate de-escalation of the conflict," Pallone said. "Azerbaijani President Aliyev’s threatening rhetoric has consistently alluded to doing away with the 1994 ceasefire and attacking the people of Nagorno Karabakh. President Aliyev continues to defy international calls to reach a negotiated settlement that will ensure a lasting peace in the region. It is unacceptable for Azerbaijan to continue on its current belligerent path, and I urge the Obama Administration and the OSCE Minsk Group to demand accountability on the part of Azerbaijan and continue to work toward implementing proposals that promote peace."

Also condemning Azerbaijan's attacks was Representative Adam Schiff , the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

“I am deeply disturbed by and condemn this terrible new escalation in Azerbaijan’s aggression against Nagorno Karabakh in the form of a significant military assault which killed 18 Armenian soldiers and at least one civilian — a young boy," the Congressman said. "That this attack comes just hours after Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev returned from meetings in Washington, D.C. with Vice President Biden and Secretary Kerry demonstrates that the policy of the United States and the Minsk Group is simply not working.

Until Azerbaijan faces strong and meaningful consequences over their policy of escalation and violence and its self-serving refusal to agree to international monitoring of the line of contact, there is little chance of resolving the conflict and avoiding further bloodshed. The true victims of this policy are the people of Artsakh who simply want to live free of sniper fire and mortar barrages and to exercise their right of self determination.”

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, using artillery, armored fighting vehicles and air force equipment among other weapons.

Aside from the battles on the frontline, the rival has also carried out artillery strikes on civilian settlements and places of permanent deployment of several military units.

On April 2, at around 8:30 am, the rival used BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher in the Martuni direction of the contact line. 12-year-old Vaghinak Grigoryan was killed in the shelling, two more children were wounded.

Earleir, the Nagorno Karabakh special forces identified an Azerbaijani subversive group near the Levonarkh settlement and threw the saboteurs back to their positions.

According to Armenia’s Defense Ministry, the rival troops retreated after suffering several human losses.

As many as 18 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 35 were wounded in the course of military operations with Azerbaijani army on April 1-2, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a Security Council meeting.

Starting at 6:00 am, on April 3, the Azerbaijani armed forces have been conducting aggressive military actions in the southern direction of the line of contact, using rockets and artillery, as well as armored fighting vehicles.