Baku urges int'l community to condemn Armenia attacks

A top Azerbaijani official on Saturday urged the international community to condemn Armenia's attacks on civilian settlements in Azerbaijan.

Hikmet Hajiyev, the assistant to the Azerbaijani president and head of the foreign policy department of the Presidential Administration, along with diplomatic corps and military attaches arrived in the city of Ganja, Azerbaijan's second-largest city, which was struck overnight by the Armenian army with Elbrus operational-tactical missile complex, also known as SCUD.

The Elbrus missiles are highly destructive weapons with a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles) that can carry up to 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) of explosives.

Hajiyev said the "[Azerbaijani] nation's just voice" should be heard by everyone, and thanked the heads of foreign missions and military attaches in Azerbaijan for their support.

"The people of Ganja are always strong and are always by the state," he said.

He also held a video briefing for representatives of global media organizations accredited in Russia and Turkey.

Earlier Saturday, at least 13 civilians were killed, including four women and three minors, and nearly 50 others injured, when Armenian missiles struck Ganja.

Some 20 women and five minors were also among the injured, while two children are still missing," the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said.

More than 20 houses were also destroyed in the attack.

It was Armenia's second deadly assault on Ganja in less than a week, an area far from the front line with a population of half a million.

Along with the city of Ganja, a hydroelectric power plant in Mingachevir was also targeted by the Armenian army at around 1 a.m. local time Saturday (2100GMT Friday), but its missiles were neutralized by Azerbaijan's air defense.

Since new clashes erupted between the two countries on Sept. 27, Armenia has continued its attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces.

As of midday Saturday, Armenia has killed at least 60 Azerbaijani civilians and injured 270 more, according to Azerbaijani officials.

The number of houses damaged in Armenian attacks has reached 1,704, along with 90 residential buildings and 327 civil facilities, according to Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office.