Protesters attempt to breach police barricade in Yerevan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Sep 2023 21:44
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Over 100 protesters gathered near the Russian Embassy, calling on Moscow to take measures to address the situation in the breakaway region.

People gather at the Armenia government building to protest against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on September 19, 2023. (AP)

Sputnik reported on Tuesday that demonstrators in Yerevan attempted to breach a police barricade near the government building on Tuesday. The police, in response, used stun grenades.

According to a Sputnik correspondent, the police set up a barricade earlier in the day in response to a protest.

Clashes erupted between protesters and law enforcement in Yerevan's central square after Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that no 'miscalculated' actions would be taken in response to Baku's plan to launch 'anti-terror' operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenians in #Yerevan demand Pashinyan's resignation. #Armenia pic.twitter.com/6pLcQJxjJz
— Hajiyev_aa🇦🇿🇹🇷 (@hajiyev_aa) September 19, 2023

On another note, live Armenian broadcasters reported that over 100 protesters gathered near the Russian embassy, calling on Moscow to take measures to address the situation in the breakaway region.

BREAKING: Dozens of protesters heading towards Russian embassy in Yerevan, Armeniapic.twitter.com/riHpdCfynb
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 19, 2023

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that Baku had initiated regional "anti-terrorist activities" within the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh area with the aim of "restoring the constitutional order." Due to a lack of military action, angered demonstrators in Yerevan blocked the Tigran Mets avenue in close proximity to the government premises amidst the mounting tension.

"Anti-terrorist operations in the region of a local character have begun," Baku's Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that it was using "high-precision weapons on the front line and in-depth" as part of the operation.

The statement pointed out that Azerbaijan informed Russia and Turkey about the military activities it was carrying out.

"The command of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation and the leadership of the Turkish-Russian Monitoring Center were informed about the activities being carried out," the Ministry said.

Azeri security services confirmed this morning that four police officers and two civilians were killed in separate mine blasts in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, blaming "sabotage groups" amid tensions with neighboring Armenia.

The security services said two men died in the Khodzhavenskiy district, and four police officers were later killed while on their way to the blast site.

It said the two civilians were killed around 4:00 am by a mine placed by Armenian separatist "sabotage groups".

The blast happened "in the zone of temporary deployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent," deployed by Moscow in 2020 as part of a ceasefire deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The police officers who subsequently died were on the road to Azerbaijani-controlled Shusha.

Azerbaijan opened a terrorism probe into the incident. The deaths came a day after aid deliveries resumed to breakaway Karabakh territories, raising hopes for tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease.