Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Turkey of “once again advancing on a genocidal path” and said Ankara’s military was directly leading an offensive by Azerbaijani forces against Artsakh (Nagorno Karabkah).
“The situation is much more serious (than previous clashes in 2016). It would be more appropriate to compare it with what happened in 1915, when more than 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered during the first genocide of the 20th century,” Pashinyan told Le Figaro newspaper in an interview published late on Thursday
“The Turkish state, which continues to deny the past, is once again venturing down a genocidal path,” he said.
Pashinyan said Turkey had sent thousands of Syrian mercenaries to the region and Turkish military officers were directly involved in leading the Azerbaijani offensive.
“The world must be aware of what is going on here,” he said.
“Turkey’s wish is to strengthen its role and influence in the South Caucasus. It’s pursuing the dream of building an empire imitating the Sultanate and it is embarking on a path that could set the region ablaze,” the Prime Minister stated.
“Russia, France and Iran have already acknowledged the involvement of the Turkish army in the large-scale offensive launched against Artsakh on September 27. Senior Turkish officials have publicly confirmed their support for Azerbaijan, in political and diplomatic terms, but also on the battlefield,” Pashinyan stated.
“They are using drones and Turkish F-16s to bomb civilian areas in Nagorno-Karabakh. The international community, especially the American public, should be aware that US-made F-16s are currently being used to kill Armenians in this conflict. There is evidence that Turkish military commanders are directly involved in directing the offensive. Ankara provided Baku with military vehicles, weapons, and advisers,” the Armenian PM stated.
