SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) has called on the Australian Government and the international community to condemn and sanction Azerbaijan’s recent military aggression against the Armenian population of the Republic of Karabakh, including atrocities against defenceless civilians.
In the early hours of Saturday 2 April 2016 Azerbaijan launched a clearly pre-planned massive military operation, with multiple-rocket launchers, helicopters, tanks and heavy artillery, along the whole cease-fire contact line between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Karabakh (Artsakh), which declared independence from Azerbaijani administration nearly 25 years ago.
In this latest major cease-fire violation since it came into effect in 1994, the Azerbaijani military has deliberately targeted the civilian population of Artsakh. This included the killing of one student, Vaghinag Grigoryan, by mortar fire in a school in the Martuni region.
In even more disturbing news, the Artsakh Defence Forces, which had retaken on Sunday the village of Talish that had been temporarily overrun by Azerbaijani soldiers for 24 hours, found the gruesome remains of three elderly residents of that village.
Valera Khalapyan and his wide Razmela were found shot in their home with their ears cut off. This barbaric act is consistent with reports that Azerbaijani solders are rewarded financially for “presenting” the ears of Armenians killed. Another resident, Marousya Khalapyan was also similarly killed in the house.
These elderly residents of the Armenian village of Talish were unable to escape when the Azerbaijani solders overrun the village.
ANC Australia Executive Administrator, Arin Markarian said: “These gruesome atrocities are pure evil and nothing less than war crimes committed against defenceless elderly villagers.”
Markarian added: “The Oil-Dictatorship of Azerbaijan must be condemned and brought to account by the international community for these heinous war crimes as well as this latest aggression which destabilises the whole region. Australia must add its voice of condemnation. Silence is not an option.“
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