Since the flare-up of military clashes on 27 September between Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh, despite three agreements on humanitarian ceasefire brokered by Russia, France and the United States, Armenian side has been carrying on striking the residential settlements with missiles in the cities of Azerbaijan. Ignoring International Law and Geneva Conventions, Armenian army has launched ballistic and cluster missiles at the densely populated areas far from the conflict zone.
On 27-28 October, the city of Barda came under the missile attack by Armenian Armed Forces, which caused 26 civilians killed and over 80 people wounded. Everyone is in shock throughout Azerbaijan over the acts of terror making women and children victims.
Irish historian Patrick Walsh in his comments to Eurasia Diary portal condemned Armenian brutal attacks against the innocent civilians living in the areas far from Karabakh combat zone.
According to the Irish historian, striking the civilian settlements is against established rules of warfare.
“Most certainly the bombardment of civilian areas, outside of the combat zone, must be seen as a purely terroristic act. War is a terrible thing and its results and effects must be limited as much as possible by rules and the engagement of the international community,” said Walsh.
Touching upon Azerbaijan’s retaliatory attacks, in accordance with the 51 article of UN Charter reflecting self-defence, to military positions in Armenia targeting Azerbaijan, Walsh noted that a number of reasons would make Azerbaijan’s response unwise.
“I am sure there is justified anger in Azerbaijan over these horrendous events, however, for a number of reasons such a course would be unwise. In war it is always important to occupy the high moral ground. It makes a nation’s case stronger within the international community,” Walsh stressed.
“Any attack by Azerbaijan on purely civilian targets would result in an argument that both sides are as bad as each other. Azerbaijanis may believe, quite rightly, that they are being treated unfairly in the media, and objective observers are concluding that while one side fights on the battlefield and the other attacks vulnerable civilians. Think of what happened at Khojaly and how it is still firmly in the consciousness and causes such bitterness,” he added.
In addition, Walsh considered that any attack on Armenia would risk the intervention of Russia, which is exactly what Pashinyan wants to save his army.
“At the moment Azerbaijan wins in a fair fight on the battlefield. It has to be kept like that,” he noted.
Furthermore, Irish historian expressed his opinion on the importance of imposing sanctions on Armenia over its aggression against its neighbour.
“Of course sanctions would be ideal if the world was a fair place and international law was actually of real significance. But we know that international law, unfortunately, has to be backed by the armed force to be effective. So there is little prospect of it,” he said.
