Accounts from Survivors Recall Devastating Attack on Karabakh

Eyewitnesses have reported a bombing incident in a remote village in Nagorno-Karabakh that resulted in the death of three children and two elderly individuals, according to the BBC. While Azerbaijan claims to have only targeted "legitimate military targets," the media outlet has spoken to a mother who lost two young sons and had another seriously injured in what survivors describe as an "indiscriminate attack." The village in question, called Sarnaghuyr (known as Aghbulag by Azerbaijan), is located in the Askeran region of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is surrounded by forests and does not contain any significant military targets. One mother, Zarine Ghazaryan, was in the neighboring town of Askeran when the attack occurred. She was out searching for baby formula to feed her youngest son, Karen. Due to the de facto blockade that had lasted for nine months, the region had been facing shortages of food, fuel, and heating. Upon hearing explosions, Ghazaryan attempted to return home but was prevented from doing so by heavy incoming fire. She later found out that her son Seyran had been severely wounded and taken to the main city of Stepanakert for treatment, while her three other children were being evacuated by Russian peacekeepers. Tragically, she discovered at the hospital that two of her sons, eight-year-old Mikayel and ten-year-old Nver, had been killed in the bombings. The BBC spoke to Ghazaryan at the hospital, where she was allowed to see the bodies of her two sons. They had suffered extensive head injuries. Another survivor, a 15-year-old boy named Arman, who was with the children during the attack, described the harrowing experience. He revealed that the indiscriminate bombing killed and injured several people, with some suffering decapitation. Arman stated that three shells exploded near their location while they were huddled together under trees, trying to seek safety. Local authorities reported three additional fatalities that day, including the village mayor's son, father, and mother-in-law. Due to the attack, many villagers were wounded or forced to evacuate their homes, joining thousands of other ethnic Armenians displaced by the conflict. Zarine, wanting to bury her sons in Armenia, is facing difficulties as available space on planes out of Karabakh is being utilized for evacuating the wounded. The roadway is congested with a queue of several kilometers, leaving her and her family waiting for an opportunity to leave. It should be noted that the BBC has not independently verified the details of the attack. Azerbaijan's special envoy, Ambassador Elchin Amirbekov, stated that the army had orders to target only legitimate military objectives and expressed regret over any civilian casualties, acknowledging that collateral damage can occur. Additionally, this article includes additional reporting by Kayleen Devlin.