Bombardment of Tartar
{{Short description|Bombardment of Tartar, Azerbaijan in 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = 2020 bombardment of Tartar
| partof = the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
| image = Destroyed apartment located in Shikharkh.png
| image_size = 250px
| caption = One of the destroyed apartments in Shikharkh
| map =
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| location = Tartar District, Azerbaijan
| date = 28 September – {{End date|2020|11|10|df=y}} ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=09|day1=28|year1=2020|month2=11|day2=10|year2=2020}})
| timezone = GMT+4
| type = Bombardment
| fatalities = 17
| injuries = 63
| perpetrators = {{Unbulleted list|
}}
| weapons = {{Unbulleted list|
- Shelling
- Missiles
- Cluster munitions
- White phosphorus {{small|(alleged)}}
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war}}
The bombardment of Tartar ({{Langx|az|Tərtərin bombalanması}}) was the bombardment of the cities, towns, and villages in Tartar District of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Armed Forces and the Artsakh Defence Army with artillery, missiles, and cluster munitions during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. The bombardment of the district started on the second day of the war, on 28 September, when the Armenian forces shelled the city of Tartar, the administrative center of the district, and Shikharkh, which was built for the Azerbaijani refugees of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Parts of the city of Tartar and around had a sizable military presence from Azerbaijan. Throughout the war, the city was frequently shelled by Armenian forces.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/12/11/armenia-unlawful-rocket-missile-strikes-azerbaijan |title=Armenia: Unlawful Rocket, Missile Strikes on Azerbaijan |date=11 December 2020 |work=Human Rights Watch |access-date=11 December 2020 }} The bombardment caused widespread destruction and many civilian deaths. Thousands of people became refugees, making the city of Tartar a ghost town, and fled to neighboring cities, such as Barda, which was also targeted by the Armenian forces with cluster missiles.{{Cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/10/armenia-azerbaijan-first-confirmed-use-of-cluster-munitions-by-armenia-cruel-and-reckless/ |title=Armenia/Azerbaijan: First confirmed use of cluster munitions by Armenia 'cruel and reckless' |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=29 October 2020 |publisher=Amnesty International |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/30/armenia-cluster-munitions-kill-civilians-azerbaijan |title=Armenia: Cluster Munitions Kill Civilians in Azerbaijan |date=30 October 2020 |access-date=30 October 2020 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |language=en }} The Azerbaijani authorities stated that the Armenian forces had fired 15,500 shells on the territory of Tartar District until 29 October, with over 2,000 shells being fired upon Tartar in some days. Official Azerbaijani figures list over a thousand civilian objects, including schools, hospitals, and government buildings that were either damaged or destroyed during the bombardment.
Human Rights Watch confirmed many of the targeted attacks on civilians and civilian objects, such as kindergartens and hospitals, by the Armenian forces. It also stated that the Armenian military forces had carried out indiscriminate rocket and missile strikes on the Azerbaijani territories, and that such indiscriminate attacks were war crimes. Ilham Aliyev accused Armenia of "trying to turn Tartar to the next Aghdam." Turkey also condemned the Armenian shelling of a cemetery in Tartar during a funeral ceremony, which foreign journalists at scene and Human Rights Watch confirmed.
The bombardment of the city of Tartar, as well as Azerbaijani towns and villages in the district of same name stopped on 10 November, when Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan with Russia's mediation, ending all hostilities in the region.{{Cite web |url=https://eurasianet.org/armenia-surrenders-to-azerbaijan |title=Armenia surrenders to Azerbaijan |date=9 November 2020 |access-date=12 December 2020 |work=Eurasianet |language=en }}
Background
File:Azerbaijani refugees from Karabakh 14.jpg settled in Tartar in 1996.]]
Tartar is a district of Azerbaijan, consisting of the former Tartar Rayon and a part of former Mardakert District of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. Since the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, most of it has been under the control of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, governed as part of its Martakert Province. IDPs from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding occupied territories were moved to the district from tent settlements around the country to live in new houses built by the government.{{Cite web |first=Rovshan |last=Ismayilov |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/azerbaijan/azerbaijan-life-frontlines |title=Azerbaijan: Life on the Frontlines |work=Eurasianet |via=ReliefWeb |date=5 July 2007 |access-date=11 December 2020 |language=en }} Tartar District was home to a population of 105 thousand people in early 2020,{{Cite web |url=https://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/ap/az/2_4.xls |title=Azərbaycan Respublikasının şəhər və rayonlarının ərazisi, əhalisinin sayı və sıxlığı |trans-title=Territory, population and density of cities and districts of the Republic of Azerbaijan |publisher=State Statistics Committee |date=1 January 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |language=az }} with its administrative center, the city of Tartar, being about {{convert|90|km|mi}} far from Nagorno-Karabakh.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/1/nagorno-karabakh-clashes-continue-as-sides-refuse-to-back-down |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: Deadly fighting spills into fifth day |work=Al Jazeera |date=1 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |language=en }}
The disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, with its ethnic Armenian majority,{{cite journal |last=Ardillier-Carras|first=Françoise |date=2006|title=Sud-Caucase: conflit du Karabagh et nettoyage ethnique|journal=Bulletin de l'Association de Géographes Français |volume=83 |issue=4 |trans-title=South Caucasus: Karabakh conflict and ethnic cleansing|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/bagf_0004-5322_2006_num_83_4_2527|language=fr|pages=409–432 |doi=10.3406/bagf.2006.2527 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.unhcr.org/publications/refugeemag/3b5583fd4/unhcr-publication-cis-conference-displacement-cis-conflicts-caucasus.html |title=UNHCR publication for CIS Conference (Displacement in the CIS) – Conflicts in the Caucasus |publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|language=en}}{{cite book|last=Yamskov|first=A. N.|title=Ethnic Conflict in the Transcausasus: The Case of Nagorno-Karabakh |periodical=Theory and Society|volume= 20|number=5|date=1991|page=659 | language=en }}{{cite book |last=Hambardzumyan |first=Viktor |date=1978 |title=Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Ինքնավար Մարզ (ԼՂԻՄ)|trans-title=Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAO)|publisher=Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia |page= 576|volume=4| language=hy}} is a de jure part of Azerbaijan, but is de facto held by the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, which is supported by Armenia.{{Cite news|date=2016-04-06|title=Nagorno-Karabakh profile|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18270325|access-date=2020-10-06}} Ethnic violence began in the late 1980s, and exploded into a war following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. On 20 February 1988, the Soviet of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast passed a resolution requesting transfer of the oblast from the Azerbaijan SSR to the Armenia SSR; Azerbaijan rejected the request. Following the revoking of Nagorno-Karabakh's autonomous status, an independence referendum was held on 10 December 1991 which was boycotted by the Azerbaijani population which then constituted around 22.8% of Nagorno-Karabakh's population; as a result, 99.8% voted in favor. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan then became independent of the Soviet Union as the results of referendums in 1991 and their independence were internationally recognized in 1992.{{Cite book|last=De Waal|first=Thomas|url=https://catalogue.solent.ac.uk/openurl/44SSU_INST/44SSU_INST:VU1?u.ignore_date_coverage=true&rft.mms_id=9997123365104796|title=Black Garden Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, 10th Year Anniversary Edition, Revised and Updated|date=2013|isbn=978-0-8147-7082-5|oclc=1154881834}}
The First Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in the displacement of 750,000 Azerbaijanis overall, with roughly 600,000 of them being from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts, which were majority-Azeri, essentially cleansing all of the occupied territories from its Azerbaijani inhabitants.{{cite web |url=https://www.humanrightsclub.net/en/news/2019/human-rights-situation-of-internally-displaced-persons-in-azerbaijan/ |title=HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN AZERBAIJAN |author= |date=19 June 2019 |website=humanrightsclub.net |quote=There are now about 600,000 registered Azerbaijani IDPs – roughly 40,000 from Nagorno-Karabakh and 560,000 from the surrounding seven occupied districts. |access-date=12 December 2020 |archive-date=28 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928055349/https://www.humanrightsclub.net/en/news/2019/human-rights-situation-of-internally-displaced-persons-in-azerbaijan/ |url-status=dead }} Similarly, 353,000 Armenians had to flee from Azerbaijan.{{Cite web|last1=Toal|first1=Gerard|last2=O’Loughlin|first2=John|last3=Bakke|first3=Kristin M.|title=Nagorno-Karabakh: what do residents of the contested territory want for their future?|url=http://theconversation.com/nagorno-karabakh-what-do-residents-of-the-contested-territory-want-for-their-future-147690|access-date=2020-10-15|website=The Conversation|date=12 October 2020 |language=en}} The war ended with a ceasefire in 1994, with the unrecognised Republic of Artsakh in control of most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, as well as occupying the surrounding districts of Agdam, Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Kalbajar, Qubadli, Lachin and Zangilan of Azerbaijan and the Lachin Corridor – a mountain pass that links Nagorno-Karabakh with mainland Armenia.{{Cite web|title=Military occupation of Azerbaijan by Armenia |url=http://www.rulac.org/browse/conflicts/military-occupation-of-azerbaijan-by-armenia|access-date=27 September 2020|publisher=Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project}}
For three decades multiple violations of the ceasefire occurred, the most serious being the four-day 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Surveys indicated that the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh did not want to be part of Azerbaijan, and in August 2019, in a declaration in favour of unification, the Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan stated "Artsakh is Armenia, full stop". Further skirmishes occurred on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in July 2020.{{cite web |title=Armenia/Azerbaijan – Border clashes between the two countries (15 July 2020)|url=https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/armenia/news/article/armenia-azerbaijan-border-clashes-between-the-two-countries-15-jul-2020|publisher=Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (France)|access-date=27 September 2020}}
On 27 September 2020, clashes broke out in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was mostly de facto controlled by Artsakh, but de jure a part of Azerbaijan, which soon escalated to a war.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54314341 |title=Armenia and Azerbaijan fight over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh |date=27 September 2020 |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200927153909/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54314341 |archive-date=27 September 2020 |language=en |publisher=BBC }}
Bombardment
= September =
File:Damage to an apartment in Shikharkh, a town for IDPs 2.png, which was built for the Azerbaijani refugees of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.]]
On 28 September, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian forces shelled the city of Tartar at about 11:00.{{Cite web |url=https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/armenian-azerbaijani-forces-fight-over-separatist-region-for-2nd-day/ |title=Armenian, Azerbaijani forces fight over separatist region for 2nd day |date=28 December 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3306741.html |title=Armenia's shelling of Tartar District court in Azerbaijan results in civilian casualties |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=KTLA |language=en }} The Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan also stated that following the Armenian shelling, a textile shop in Tartar District was damaged. Moreover, according to the Azerbaijani authorities, a police department in the city of Tartar and Shikharkh, a town created for the Azerbaijani refugees of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, were also shelled.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3306642.html |title=Assistant to Azerbaijan's President: Police department, town for IDPs in Tartar shelled |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=11 September 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} In response, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that it gave the "last warning to Armenia that adequate retaliatory measures will be taken against them if needed".{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3306496.html |title=Armenian military forces shelling Azerbaijani Terter city |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} At about 19:00, the Armenian shelling in Shikharkh, hitting the yard of an apartment building, killed two civilians and injured two more.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3307033.html |title=Two brothers killed in Terter region as result of shelling from Armenian armed forces |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnnturk.com/dunya/ermenistandan-hain-saldiri-2-sivil-daha-hayatini-kaybetti |title=Ermenistan'dan hain saldırı! 2 sivil daha hayatını kaybetti |date=28 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=CNN Türk |language=tr }} The Human Rights Watch confirmed the attack on 8 November, and visited the area to observe damage consistent with artillery shelling.
On 30 September, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian forces had heavily shelled the city of Tartar at about 08:00 in the morning. According to the Azerbaijani authorities, an artillery projectile exploded near the government buildings, injuring seven civilians.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3307891.html |title=New civilian casualties reported from shelling of Tartar city by Armenian armed forces |date=30 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
= October =
On 1 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that starting from the morning, the Armenian forces shelled the city of Tartar.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3308649.html |title=Armenian armed forces continue shelling Azerbaijani Tartar city |date=1 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan also stated that at about 09:00, the Armenian shelling killed a civilian in the city and badly damaged the train station there.{{Cite web |first1=Nailia |last1=Bagirova |first2=Tom |last2=Balmforth |first3=Toby |last3=Chopra |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-terter-int-idUSKBN26M4Q3 |title=Armenian shell hits bus station in Azerbaijan's Tartar, one dead |date=1 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Reuters |language=en }} The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan then stated that the Armenian shelling wounded a teacher from a secondary school in Seydimli, and that six schools were destroyed in the district since 27 September.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3309134.html |title=Azerbaijani education ministry: Schools destroyed by Armenian occupation forces in Tartar district |date=1 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
The following day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces were heavily shelling the city of Tartar and Shikharkh.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3309708.html |title=Armenian armed forces subject settlements, villages of Tartar and Barda districts to massive shelling |date=2 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The same ministry also stated that the Armenian shelling had damaged a kindergarten in Shikharkh,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3309375.html |title=Kindergarten in Azerbaijan's Tartar under fire from Armenian Armed Forces (VIDEO) |date=2 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} which was confirmed by the Human Rights Watch. On 4 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had rocketed Tartar District, wounding civilians.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3310680.html |title=Armenian armed forces shell Azerbaijan's Mingachevir, Terter |date=4 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The next day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had shelled the city of Tartar starting from the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3310846.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces firing at Azerbaijan's Beylagan, Barda, Tartar |date=5 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 7 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian shelling of Tartar was continuing.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3312394.html |title=Armenia continues to shell Azerbaijan's settlements in Tartar, Fuzuli |date=7 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The following day, the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian forces had rocketed the city of Tartar with BM-21 Grad missile launchers, accusing the Armenian military leadership of "targeting civilians with precision-guided missiles."{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3313035.html |title=Armenia's Grad missile launcher which attacked Azerbaijan's Barda and Tartar destroyed - Assistant to president (VIDEO) |date=8 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 9-10 and 12 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces were shelling Tartar District at noon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3313444.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces continue to shell Azerbaijan's Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam |date=9 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3314244.html |title=Armenian troops continue shelling Azerbaijani Tartar, Aghdam districts |date=10 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} while the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that the shelling had injured a civilian on the 10th{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/3313950.html |title=Two more Azerbaijani civilians injured during Armenia's shelling of Goranboy, Tartar |date=10 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} and another during the shelling of Kangarli on the 12th.{{Cite web|date=12 October 2020|title=Civilian of Azerbaijani Tartar district heavily wounded from Armenian shelling|url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3315090.html|access-date=11 December 2020|work=Trend News Agency|language=en}}
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| footer = Apart from the city of Tartar, the Armenian bombardment had also heavily damaged residential houses in the nearby villages.
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The following day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces were shelling Tartar District starting from the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3315661.html |title=Armenian armed forces shelling Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam regions |date=12 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3315658.html |title=Azerbaijani Tartar region under fire by Armenian armed forces |date=12 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 14 October, local Azerbaijani journalists reported that the Armenian forces had shelled Duyarly,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3316343.html |title=School in Azerbaijani Tartar district's village destroyed by Armenian artillery strikes |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} with one of the artiller shells completely destroying a shopping center,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3316520.html |title=Armenian armed forces destroy shopping center in Azerbaijan's Tartar district (PHOTO/VIDEO) |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} and another damaging a secondary school.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3316648.html |title=Destroyed school in Azerbaijan's Tartar (PHOTO / VIDEO) |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan then stated that in Duyarly, one government official was wounded, while in Asgarli, another government official was wounded, alongside 5 other civilians. Also, according to the Azerbaijani authorities, a journalist working for the AzTV was wounded during the shelling.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3316452.html |title=Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office lists names of wounded in Tartar |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
On 15 October, the Armenian forces shelled a cemetery {{convert|400|m|ft}} north of the city of Tartar during a funeral ceremony, killing 4 civilians and injuring 4 more.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3317590.html |title=Death toll as result of deliberate shelling of cemetery in Azerbaijan's Tartar by Armenia increases (PHOTO) |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} This was confirmed by local journalists,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3317374.html |title=Azerbaijan discloses names of those killed, wounded at Tartar cemetery during Armenian armed forces' shelling |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} TV Rain,{{Cite web |url=https://novayagazeta.ru/news/2020/10/15/164949-kladbische-v-azerbaydzhanskom-tertere-popalo-pod-obstrel-tri-cheloveka-pogibli |title=Кладбище в азербайджанском Тертере попало под обстрел. Три человека погибли |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Novaya Gazeta |language=ru |archive-date=5 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205012801/https://novayagazeta.ru/news/2020/10/15/164949-kladbische-v-azerbaydzhanskom-tertere-popalo-pod-obstrel-tri-cheloveka-pogibli |url-status=dead }} and the Human Rights Watch. The Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan also confirmed that the cemetery was shelled in the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/15/nagorno-karabakh-three-dead-in-attack-at-azerbaijan-cemetery |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: 'Three dead' in attack at Azerbaijan cemetery |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Al Jazeera |language=en }}
On 18 October, local Azerbaijani journalists reported that the Armenian shelling in the city of Tartar severely damaged a secondary school.{{Cite web |first=Samir |last=Ali |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3319164.html |title=Armenian armed forces fire two shells at school in Azerbaijan's Tartar |date=18 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The following day, local Azerbaijani journalists reported that the Armenian shelling continued, injuring a civilian in Alasgarli.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3319405.html |title=Civilian wounded in Azerbaijan's Tartar district from Armenian shelling (PHOTO/VIDEO) |date=19 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 20 October, Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian forces were shelling Tartar District starting from the morning, and that at about 15:00, the Armenian shelling in Jamilli killed two civilians, wounding another.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3320524.html |title=2 civilians killed during shelling of Azerbaijan's Tartar by Armenian armed forces |date=20 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The Azerbaijani MoD then stated that the Armenian forces had rocketed and shelled Tartar District in the afternoon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3320640.html |title=Azerbaijan's Goranboy, Tartar subjected to artillery, missile fire from Armenia |date=20 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The next day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had shelled the settlements in the Tartar District starting from the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3320810.html |title=Armenian armed forces shelling Azerbaijani Tartar district |date=20 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 23 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had shelled the settlements in the Tartar District in the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3322217.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces intensively shelling Tartar, Aghdam and Aghjabadi districts - MoD |date=20 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} According to the Human Rights Watch, the satellite imagery recorded on that day showed substantial damage and cratering from shelling throughout the city of Tartar. Also, hundreds of craters consistent with heavy artillery shelling were concentrated in Shikharkh.
The following day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had rocketed and shelled the settlements in the Tartar District in the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3322814.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling settlements in Azerbaijan's Tartar and Barda |date=24 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3322859.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling settlements in Azerbaijan's Tartar and Barda |date=24 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} Then, the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian forces had fired a BM-30 Smerch missiles on the city of Tartar, killing a 16-year-old boy.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3322868.html |title=Armenia's missile fire on Azerbaijan's Tartar kill 16-year old teenager - top official |date=24 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |first=Seyfettin |last=Ersöz |url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/dunya/ermenistan-saldirisinda-iki-cocuk-can-verdi-6338408 |title=Ermenistan saldırısında iki çocuk can verdi |date=25 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Hürriyet |language=en }} This was confirmed by Human Rights Watch. According to HRW, the Armenian forces had launched a cluster munition attack on Khoruzlu, a village of 290 people in the district, killing the 16-year-old boy. HRW also reported that it did not see any military installations or transport in the vicinity of the site.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/12/15/armenia-cluster-munitions-used-multiple-attacks-azerbaijan|title=Armenia: Cluster Munitions Used in Multiple Attacks on Azerbaijan |date=15 December 2020 |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=Human Rights Watch |language=en }} On 25 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces were shelling the settlements in the Tartar District at noon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3323311.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijani Aghdam, Tartar and Agjabedi regions - MoD |date=25 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The same ministry yet again stated that the Armenian forces were shelling the settlements in the Tartar District next day,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3323549.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijani Tartar region |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3323974.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces fire at Azerbaijan's Tartar district |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} while the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian shelling was accompanied by missiles,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324175.html |title=Armenian armed forces shelling Tartar city with artillery, missiles in gross breach of humanitarian ceasefire |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} which continued in the afternoon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324160.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijan's Tartar city, villages |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The Azerbaijani MoD then stated that the Armenian forces had rocketed the city of Tartar by using BM-30 Smerch multiple rocket launchers,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324177.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shell Azerbaijan's Tartar by using 'Smerch' missiles |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} adding that the Azerbaijani air defence units had neutralized one of the missiles launched on the city.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324188.html |title=Azerbaijan neutralizes one of 3 missiles shot by Armenian troops at Azerbaijan's Tartar |date=26 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 27 and 28 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the shelling of Tartar District continued.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324524.html |title=Armenian troops shelling Azerbaiajni Tartar district's city, villages |date=27 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} At afternoon, according to the Azerbaijani authorities, the Armenian forces had shelled the settlements in the Tartar District.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3324799.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijan's Goranboy, Tartar and Barda districts |date=27 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3324988.html |title=Azerbaijan's Tartar district subjected to artillery fire - MoD |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} Also, according to the Azerbaijani MoD, the Armenian forces had rocketed the city of Tartar and villages of the Tartar district from the BM-30 Smerch multiple-launch missile system on 28 October. There are no casualties.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325112.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces attack Tartar district from Smerch missile system |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The Azerbaijani authorities then stated that the Armenian forces again shelled Tartar District,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325349.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijan's Tartar again |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} and then rocketed it with BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers and howitzers.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325384.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces again fire at Azerbaijan's Tartar by using Grad multiple rocket launchers |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
On 29 October, Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, visited Tartar together with representatives of media and diplomatic corps.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325724.html |title=Assistant to Azerbaijani President due in Barda, Tartar together with diplomatic corps |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325981.html |title=Assistant to Azerbaijani president, foreign diplomats visit Tartar |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} During the visit, the Azerbaijani authorities stated that the Armenian forces continued to shell the city,{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3325740.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces fired on Azerbaijan's Goranboy, Tartar districts - MoD |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} and Hajiyev stated that the Armenian leadership has "become so insolent, that its armed forces shelled Tartar even when diplomats were there."{{Cite web |first=Ilhama |last=Isabalayeva |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3326059.html |title=Armenian leadership shelled Tartar ignoring visit of diplomats - President's aide |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} According to the Azerbaijani MoD, the shelling continued in the afternoon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3326213.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijan's Goranboy, Tartar, Barda |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
The following day, the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan released a photo, showing an unexploded Smerch missile, apparently in Alasgarli.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3326894.html |title=Armenia fires Smerch missile at Alasgarli village of Azerbaijani Tartar region |date=30 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 31 October, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian shelling of Tartar District restarted in the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3326995.html |title=Azerbaijani Tartar, Aghdam, and Aghjabedi districts come under artillery fire |date=31 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
= November =
File:Damaged school in Chayli, after the Armenian shelling (cropped).png
On 1 November, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had shelled the city of Tartar, as well as Shikharkh.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3327454.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijani Tartar city, Agjabedi region |date=1 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The next day, the same ministry stated that heavy Armenian shelling continued in Shikharkh, Gazyan and Gapanli.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3328077.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces subject Azerbaijan's Tartar, Goranboy districts to massive shelling |date=2 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 3 November, local Azerbaijani journalists reported that the Armenian forces had shelled another cemetery, this time in Sahlabad. According to a Trend News Agency correspondent at scene, the shelling completely destroyed 65 graves, and another 100 were damaged.{{Cite web |first=Samir |last=Ali |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3328781.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shell cemetery in Azerbaijan's Tartar, destroying many graves (PHOTO) |date=3 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
On the same day, Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) found unexploded white phosphorus munitions in Sahlabad, which, according to Azerbaijan, was fired by the Armenian forces.{{Cite web |first=Nargiz |last=Mammadli |url=https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/armenias-army-drops-white-phosphorus-bombs-on-civilians-in-azerbaijan-2020-11-3-4 |title=Armenia's Army Drops White Phosphorus Bombs On Civilians In Azerbaijan |date=6 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |work=Caspian News }}{{Cite web |url=https://azertag.az/en/xeber/Armenia_uses_banned_white_phosphorous_shells_against_civilian_population____PHOTO_FACT_VIDEO-1633513 |title=Armenia uses banned white phosphorous shells against civilian population – PHOTO FACT VIDEO |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |work=Azerbaijan State News Agency }} Azerbaijani authorities had also stated that the Armenian forces were transporting white phosphorus into the region.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/31/armenia-azerbaijan-trade-fresh-accusations-of-karabakh-attacks |title=Armenia, Azerbaijan trade accusations again after new attacks |date=31 October 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |work=Al Jazeera }} Later on, Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan filed a lawsuit, accusing the Armenian Armed Forces of using phosphorus ammunition in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as in Tartar District, and chemical munitions to "inflict large-scale and long-term harm to the environment" in Fuzuli and Tartar Districts, as well as around Shusha.{{Cite web |url=https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2020/11/free/politics%20news/en/130104.htm |title=Lawsuit on the fact of the use of white phosphorus by Armenians in Karabakh |date=20 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |work=Turan Information Agency }}
On 4 November, Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had periodically shelled Huseynli and Gazyan starting from the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3328996.html |title=Armenian troops shell villages of Azerbaijan's Tartar, Aghjabadi districts, MoD says |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The same ministry then stated that the Armenian shelling had continued in the city of Tartar, as well as Shikharh at afternoon.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3329386.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shelling Azerbaijan's Tartar city - Defense Ministry |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The following day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had periodically shelled the settlements of Tartar District, including the city of the same name and Sahlabad.{{Cite web |url=https://tass.com/world/1220239 |title=Armenian forces shell city of Terter, Azerbaijan says |date=5 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=TASS |language=en }} On 7 November, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian shelling had continued in Shikharkh, Gazyan and Huseynli.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3330796.html |title=Armenian troops shelling Azerbaijani Tartar, Aghjabedi regions |date=7 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} Then, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that the Armenian shelling hit a residential house in Aski Para and had wounded its tenant.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3331010.html |title=Azerbaijani civilian wounded as result of Armenian shelling of Tartar region |date=7 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
The next day, the Azerbaijani MoD stated that the Armenian forces had shelled Tartar District, starting from the morning.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3331141.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces shell Azerbaijani villages of Tartar, Aghdam, and Aghjabedi |date=8 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} According to the Azerbaijani authorities, the shelling continued into the night.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3331408.html |title=Armenian troops shell Azerbaijan's Tartar, Aghdam districts |date=8 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 9 November, local Azerbaijani journalists reported that the Armenian shelling in Aski Para had completely destroyed 20 houses, and seriously damaged 80 more.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3331773.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces bombard Tartar's Askipara village, inflict serious damages (PHOTO) |date=9 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} The next day, Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan stated that a civilian was wounded in the city of Tartar because of the Armenian shelling at around 00:00.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3332070.html |title=55-year-old wounded as Armenian troops shell Azerbaijani Tartar - Prosecutor General's Office |date=10 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} continued at 00:20.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3332064.html |title=Armenian Armed Forces subjected Tartar to artillery fire - MoD |date=10 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
Aftermath
Following the capture of Shusha, the second-largest settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ending all hostilities in the area from 00:00, 10 November 2020 Moscow Time.{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20201110/karabakh-1583847112.html|title=Путин выступил с заявлением о прекращении огня в Карабахе|date=9 November 2020|access-date=9 November 2020|agency=RIA Novosti|language=ru}}{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20201110/karabakh-1583845291.html|title=Пашинян заявил о прекращении боевых действий в Карабахе|date=9 November 2020|access-date=9 November 2020|agency=RIA Novosti|language=ru}}{{cite news|date=2020-11-10|title=Nagorno-Karabakh: Russia deploys peacekeeping troops to region|work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54885906|access-date=2020-11-11}} Under the agreement, the warring sides will keep control of their currently held areas within Nagorno-Karabakh, while Armenia will return the surrounding territories it occupied in 1994 to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan will also gain land access to its Nakhchivan exclave bordering Turkey and Iran.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/09/world/middleeast/armenia-settlement-nagorno-karabakh-azerbaijan.html|title=Facing Military Debacle, Armenia Accepts a Deal in Nagorno-Karabakh War|first=Andrew E.|last=Kramer|newspaper=The New York Times |date=10 November 2020}} Approximately 2,000 Russian soldiers will be deployed as peacekeeping forces along the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh for a mandate of at least five years.{{cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/11/09/armenian-pm-announces-end-to-nagorno-karabakh-hostilities-a71997|title=Deal Struck to End Nagorno-Karabakh War|publisher=The Moscow Times |access-date=10 November 2020|date=10 November 2020}}
After the war ended, many of the refugees from Tartar returned to their homes. The residents of the city gathered at the Clock Square to clean and sweep the streets, with local shopkeepers cleaning the debris of their broken windows and reopening their shops.{{Cite web |url=https://www.albawaba.com/news/after-war-azeris-gather-city-square-pick-pieces-1392370 |title=After War: Azeris Gather in City Square to Pick up The Pieces |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Al Bawaba |language=en }}
Casualties
= Civilian =
On 29 October, the head of the Tartar District Executive Power, Mustagim Mammadov, stated that during the war, 17 civilians killed, and 61 people injured in Tartar District as a result of the bombardment. According to him, in total, about 1,200 people suffered from the bombardment.{{Cite web |url=https://menafn.com/1101042378/Azerbaijan-reveals-details-of-casualties-injuries-in-Tartar-inflicted-by-Armenian-troops |title=Azerbaijan reveals details of casualties, injuries in Tartar inflicted by Armenian troops |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=13 December 2020 |work=MENAFN |language=en }} The Azerbaijani authorities reported two more civilian injuries later on.
File:Sharapnell damages to a house in Tartar (cropped).png
As a result of the bombardment, a large chunk of Tartar's Azerbaijani population became displaced, and the city of Tartar, normally home to about 100,000 people, became a ghost town. In Tartar, refugees were sleeping at most of the schools, kindergarten, cafes, restaurants, hospitals, private families and elsewhere, with most of them squeezed into the available space. The Azerbaijani authorities stated that the city was emptied in October as residents sought shelter from the bombardment. Many of the refugees fled to Barda, which is just {{convert|20|km|mi}} to the east, being allowed to stay in Barda's schools for over two months, but the buildings were evacuated after the Armenian cluster missile attacks to the city.{{Cite web |first=Ulkar |last=Natiqqizi |url=https://iwpr.net/global-voices/azerbaijan-war-leaves-many-homeless |title=Azerbaijan: War Leaves Many Homeless |date=11 December 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Institute for War and Peace Reporting |language=en }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20201006-residents-flee-azerbaijani-town-of-tartar-as-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-escalates |title=Residents flee Azerbaijani town of Tartar as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict escalates |date=6 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=France24 |language=en }} Some Tartar residents who stayed in the city sheltered in the basements of their homes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54449401 |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: Iran warns of 'regional war' as fighting rages |date=7 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=BBC |language=en }}
= Infrastructure damage =
In the second day of the war, the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan stated that over 2,000 shells fell in Tartar District in a single day.{{Cite news |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3309814.html |title=Assistant to president: Over 2,000 shells fell in Azerbaijan's Tartar district today |date=2 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 29 October, the head of the Tartar District Executive Power, Mustagim Mammadov, stated that during the war, the Armenian forces fired 15,500 shells on the territory of the district, with over 2,000 shells being fired upon Tartar in some days. According to him, until 29 October, 133 houses were completely destroyed, and 873 houses, as well as 14 schools, three hospitals, and 18 government buildings were partially damaged. On 5 November, Euronews reported that the city's residential and shopping districts were badly-damaged.{{Cite web |url=https://www.euronews.com/2020/10/05/nagorno-karabakh-exclusive-footage-shows-bomb-damage-in-border-towns-as-violence-continues |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: Exclusive footage shows bomb damage in border towns as violence continues |work=Euronews |date=5 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |language=en }}
The working groups created by the Azerbaijani government in early November started assessing the damage during the war, with three working groups being dispatched to Tartar District as the damage was considered too extensive.{{Cite web |url=https://apa.az/az/dagliq_qarabag/Ermnistanin-tcavuzu-nticsind-dymis-ziyanin-qiymtlndirilmsi-uzr-Dovlt-Komissiyasinin-11-isci-qrupu-yaradilib-615140 |title=Ermənistanın təcavüzü nəticəsində dəymiş ziyanın qiymətləndirilməsi üzrə Dövlət Komissiyasının 11 işçi qrupu yaradılıb |date=13 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Azeri Press Agency |language=az }} On 24 November, the head of the working groups dispatched to Tartar, Gubad Heydarov, stated that 796 damaged properties, including 611 private houses and 147 apartments, had already been inspected, with the survey nearly complete.{{Cite web |url=https://apa.az/az/dagliq_qarabag/Isci-Qrupun-rhbri-Trtrd-islri-yekunlasdirmaq-ucun-daha-3-komkci-qrup-yaradilacaq-616625 |title=İşçi Qrupun rəhbəri: "Tərtərdə işləri yekunlaşdırmaq üçün daha 3 köməkçi qrup yaradılacaq" |date=24 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Azeri Press Agency |language=az }} On 14 January 2021, Heydarov stated that a total of 3,800 facilities were either damaged during the bombardment, while 76 of them were completely in disrepair and cannot be restored. He added that about 600 more facilities was planned to be reviewed.{{Cite web |url=https://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/Azerbaijan-discloses-number-of-facilities-destroyed-in-Terter-by-Armenian-army.html |title=Azerbaijan discloses number of facilities destroyed in Terter by Armenian army |date=14 January 2021 |access-date=15 January 2021 |work=Vestnik Kavkaza |language=en |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210115033511/https://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/Azerbaijan-discloses-number-of-facilities-destroyed-in-Terter-by%C2%A0Armenian-army.html |url-status=live }}
Amnesty International, on 14 January 2021, reported that in Shikharkh, out of 34 apartment buildings built in the town, at least 25 of them were struck, the roofs of eight buildings were destroyed, and hundreds of other apartments and administrative buildings sustained varying degrees of damage.{{Cite web |url=https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/EUR5535022021ENGLISH.PDF |title=IN THE LINE OF FIRE |date=14 January 2021 |access-date=15 January 2021 |work=Amnesty International |via=ReliefWeb |language=en |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210115034633/https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/EUR5535022021ENGLISH.PDF |url-status=live }}
Reactions
= Azerbaijan =
On 14 October, Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, labelled Tartar as the Stalingrad of Azerbaijan.{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3316390.html |title=Assistant to Azerbaijani president calls Tartar 'Stalingrad' of Azerbaijan |date=14 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
The following day, the Archbishop of the Diocese of Baku and Azerbaijan of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexander Ischein, stated that Armenia's "shelling of people in Azerbaijan's Tartar district who participated in the funeral ceremony" was inhuman.{{Cite web |first=Elchin |last=Mehdiyev |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/karabakh/3318268.html |title=Hard to grasp shelling of people in funeral ceremony in Azerbaijan's Tartar - Archbishop |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On 19 October, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated that Armenia wanted to "turn Tartar into Stalingrad, into the second Aghdam, Fuzuli."{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3318498.html |title=Armenia wants to turn Tartar into Stalingrad, into the second Aghdam, Fuzuli, says Azerbaijani president |date=19 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }} On the same day, the Azerbaijani ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, in reference to the Armenian shelling of a cemetery in Tartar, stated that the Armenian side had continued to "deliberately fire at the densely populated settlements of Azerbaijan", adding that the "regular shelling of civilian settlements and holy places by the Armenian armed forces proves once again that Armenia... is intolerant of people of other nationalities and faiths".{{Cite web |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3319185.html |title=Ombudsman issues appeal regarding shelling on cemetery in Tartar city of Azerbaijan |date=19 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Trend News Agency |language=en }}
= Turkey =
On 15 November, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey strongly condemned the Armenian shelling of a cemetery in Tartar during a funeral ceremony, stating that with the attack, Armenia "showed the world its unlawful face that is incompatible with humanitarian values".{{Cite web |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ankara-condemns-armenian-attack-on-azerbaijans-terter-city-159184 |title=Ankara condemns Armenian attack on Azerbaijan's Terter city |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en }} On the same day, members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey's Human Rights Investigation Commission visited the city of Tartar. Hakan Çavuşoğlu, the chairman of the commission, stated that for the last two days, they've faced "the kind of scenes that people wouldn't think of".{{Cite web |first=Berk |last=Özkan |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/tbmm-uyeleri-ermenistanin-saldirilarinda-sivillerin-oldugu-berde-ve-terteri-ziyaret-etti/2044438 |title=TBMM üyeleri Ermenistan'ın saldırılarında sivillerin öldüğü Berde ve Terter'i ziyaret etti |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Anadolu Agency |language=tr }}
References
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External links
{{Commons category-inline|Bombardment of Tartar}}
{{Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tartar, Bombardment of}}
Category:Bombardments of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
Category:War crimes in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
Category:War crimes in Azerbaijan
Category:September 2020 in Asia
Category:November 2020 in Asia
Category:Attacks on hospitals during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Category:2020 building bombings
Category:Wartime hospital bombings in Asia
Category:School bombings in Asia
Category:Attacks on government buildings and structures in Asia