YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan thinks that if the international community wants to avid greater expansion of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, it should decisively recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan told EURONEWS.

‘’Right now the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are under existential threat, because all the settlements of Nagorno Karabakh are under non-stop bombardment. If we want to stop the humanitarian disaster, if we want to stop this conflict from expanding, the international community should demonstrate resoluteness and recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh ‘’, Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan emphasized that the strikes of Artsakh’s Defense Army against Azerbaijani military objects were an answer to Azerbaijani bombardment of Artsakh’s civilian settlements and were exclusively measures of self-defense.

Pashinyan said that the Armenian side wants peace, but it does not mean it will stand and wait until becoming a subject for genocide.

‘’The actions of Karabakh have exclusively self-defense nature. We have only one goal – to protect the Armenian people from another genocide, it’s just a self-defense’’, Pashinyan said.

Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey , unleashed war against Artsakh on September 27. Turkey, in addition to various types of assistance to Azerbaijan, including using Turkish air force against Artsakh and Armenia, has also deployed thousands of mercenaries and terrorists from Syria in Azerbaijan to fight against Artsakh.

So far the Armenian side has reported 320 casualties among the military and 21 civilians, Azerbaijan’s manpower losses are nearly 4000, which includes both servicemen from the regular Azerbaijani army and terrorists.

President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan called for a new coalition against international terrorism on October 6.

Azerbaijan continues to heavily bomb cities and settlements.

Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan