Parties to Karabakh conflict blame each other for using phosphorus shells

By using phosphorus ammunition, Azerbaijan poses a threat of an environmental disaster, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Nagorno-Karabakh has stated. The Azerbaijani MoD denies the use of phosphorus ammunition and blames the Armenian side for doing this.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 30, Arman Tatoyan, the Ombudsperson of Armenia, stated that Azerbaijan was using phosphorus ammunition, setting forests, where civilians of Nagorno-Karabakh used to hide from shelling, on fire.

On October 31, the MoD of Nagorno-Karabakh also posted a video about the use of phosphorus weapons by Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict zone. Phosphorus weapons contain elements of chemical weapons; the use thereof is a gross violation of the international humanitarian law, norms and principles of the customary law, of some conventions, as well as of the provisions of the relevant UN conventions and documents, the MoD has stated in its website.

According to the MoD of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azerbaijani party is striving to "cause massive forest fires and create a real danger of an ecological catastrophe in the area," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has translated the MoD's statement.

In its turn, the Azerbaijani MoD has stated, in response to the accusations of using shells with white phosphorus, that the Azerbaijani Army has no prohibited ammunition.

Armenia is itself using shells with white phosphorus, but is trying to shift the responsibility to Azerbaijan, Khikmet Gadjiev, an assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and the head of the foreign policy division, has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 31, 2020 at 11:32 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.