Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating the latest ceasefire over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh (AFP or licensors) WORLD
Prayers As Armenia And Azerbaijan Accuse Eachother Of Violating Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating the latest ceasefire over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, where a historic church is among the many damaged targets. The accusations came minutes after it came into effect on Monday with the support of the United States.
By Stefan J. Bos
U.S. President Donald Trump had proudly announced on social networking site Twitter that his team managed to negotiate a ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
But soon, new clashes were reported. The US-brokered truce was a third attempt to establish a lasting ceasefire in the flare-up of a decades-old conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Two previous Russia-brokered agreements, including one last weekend, collapsed immediately after taking force, with both sides blaming each other for violations.
The new ceasefire was also challenged quickly by accusations from both sides. Azerbaijani Defense Ministry alleged that Armenian forces fired at Azerbaijani settlements and the positions of the Azerbaijani army.
It said attacks happened "along the entire front, as well as on the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border" and involved various small arms, mortars, and howitzers.
ARMENIA DENIAL
Armenian military officials rejected the accusations and accused Azerbaijani forces of shelling the northeastern area of Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions.
Local authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh also charged that Azerbaijan targeted the town of Martuni with military aviation. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry denied it violated the ceasefire agreement.
Amid the ongoing clashes, Christians worship in Nagorno-Karabakh.
That includes believers in the 19th-century Armenian Apostolic cathedral in the town of Shusha.
The Holy Saviour Cathedral, also known as Ghazanchetsots, was heavily damaged in recent shelling, allegedly by Azerbaijan's forces. But priests can be seen ringing the bells and praying for the victims and peace inside the damaged church.
'PRAYERS REACHING GOD'
"It doesn't matter if these prayers come from basements, houses, or churches – all prayers reach God," said Armenian priest Andreas Tavadyan. "To be honest, there are far more dangerous places in Artsakh [the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh]. There is a front line which is really dangerous. But this is our front line; we have to fight the evil, we pray. It's our [spiritual] battlefield."
He added: "I believe this danger is not that important for us. No matter if we see that the cathedral is damaged, we know God is in all of our prayers. God will save us."
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim nation, but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia, which is primarily Christian religious,
since a war there ended in 1994.
The latest fighting that began September 27 has involved heavy artillery, rockets, and drones. The violence officially killed more than 1,000 people in the largest escalation of hostilities over the separatist region in more than a quarter-century.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow's information suggests the death toll from the fighting was nearing 5,000, significantly higher than what both sides report.
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26 October 2020, 16:21
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