Azerbaijani Presidential Aide Calls on Armenia to Prosecute All War Criminals

Baku, The Gulf Observer: Marking the fourth anniversary of the 2020 missile attacks on Azerbaijan’s Barda city during the Second Karabakh War, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, has called on Armenia to prosecute all war criminals involved in crimes against Azerbaijani civilians.

In a message posted on his X account, Hajiyev condemned the attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 30 civilians and left over 100 wounded. He emphasized Armenia’s responsibility, as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC), to hold accountable those responsible for these and other offenses.

“Four years have passed since the bombing of Barda city and surrounding villages by Armenian armed forces using Smerch missiles loaded with cluster munitions, resulting in the tragic deaths of around 30 innocent civilians and serious injuries to 100 more,” Hajiyev stated. He reiterated that Armenia bears the legal obligation to ensure justice for the victims of these attacks, which constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.

The Barda attacks, which targeted the city on October 5, 8, 27, and 28, as well as November 7, caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and vehicles. These assaults were part of broader military actions during the 2020 conflict, with Armenian forces allegedly shelling various cities and regions across Azerbaijan, including Ganja, Yevlakh, Beylagan, and Tartar. In total, 93 Azerbaijani civilians, including 12 children and 27 women, were killed, and 454 others injured in the conflict, while over 12,000 properties and 1,000 farms sustained damage.

Hajiyev’s statement underscores Azerbaijan’s call for accountability, urging Armenia to adhere to its international obligations to ensure justice for those affected by the attacks on Barda and other regions.