War Update for October 15, 2020
Stepanakert was shelled for the first time in four days, and fighting continued at the frontlines on October 15, the Armenian defense ministry and local and international media reported. A missile attack killed a civilian in Karmir Shuka, in Karabakh’s Martuni district.
As of October 12, Artsakh’s Ombudsman documented deaths of 31 civilians in Karabakh, 10 of them in Stepanakert, 6 each in Hadrut, Martuni and Mardakert, 2 in Askeran and 1 in Kashatagh districts. At least one civilian was killed within Republic of Armenia, in Vardenis area, as well.
While most of the civilians died from shelling, in Hadrut a mother and her disabled son were executed during a raid into by Azerbaijani special forces. Separately, a video emerged of these forces executing two members of the local self-defense, investigations by Bellingcat and DFRLab confirmed.
As of October 13, Azerbaijani officials reported 42 civilian deaths, all from shelling. Documented military deaths on both sides have exceeded 1,300, including at least 125 Turkish Syrian mercenaries.
Meantime, Russian and Turkish foreign ministers spoke about Karabakh on the phone, and reportedly agreed that a “peaceful resolution had no alternatives.”
For his part, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a conservative radio show that “Turks […] stepped in and provided resources to Azerbaijan, increasing the risk, increasing the firepower.. we’re hopeful that the Armenians will be able to defend against what the Azerbaijanis are doing.”