Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of shelling cathedral

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Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh as fighting for the disputed region continues, the BBC reported. Footage shows damage to both the interior and exterior of Christ the Savior Cathedral in the town of Shusha. More than 300 people were killed and thousands were driven from their homes after the fighting broke out on September 27. International observers from the United States, Russia and France have made efforts to try to end the violence. They are meeting today with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in Geneva. Armenia's foreign minister is scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Monday.

Nagorno-Karabakh is officially part of Azerbaijan, but is ruled by ethnic Armenians. The current battles are the worst in decades, with both sides blaming each other for the violence. Shusha's Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Holy Savior), a landmark of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has suffered severe damage, AFP journalists reported.

They said, part of the roof collapsed, rubble was scattered on the floor, benches were torn down and the interior was covered in dust from the struck parts of the limestone walls of the building.

A local, Simeon, told AFP, there are no military here, nothing strategic, how can you go to church? This is a very important cathedral for Armenians. God will be the judge.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan accused enemy Azerbaijan of targeting the cathedral.

Also Thursday, Armenia announced that it had fired the head of its national security service, but did not give a reason.

For its part, Azerbaijan said the second largest city, Ganja, and the Goranboy region had been shelled by Armenian forces, killing at least one civilian.

On Thursday, Azerbaijan denied shelling a historic cathedral in the town of Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to Armenia.

A statement from the defense ministry said, the information about the damage to the church in Shusha has nothing to do with the military actions of the Azerbaijani army.

Unlike the Armenian armed forces ... the Azerbaijani army is not focused on historical, cultural or especially religious buildings and monuments.