At UN court, Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of ethnic cleansing

Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister has accused Armenia of “ethnic cleansing” and continuing to lay landmines in Nagorno-Karabakh even after a ceasefire ended a six-week war in the disputed region late last year

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Azerbaijan's deputy foreign minister accused Armenia of “ethnic cleansing” and continuing to lay landmines in Nagorno-Karabakh even after a cease-fire ended a six-week war in the disputed region late last year, as a second case related to the conflict opened at the United Nations' top court.

Last week, the court held hearings into a complaint brought by Armenia against Azerbaijan, also related to last year's war that left more than 6,600 people dead.

The "campaign of ethnic cleansing and incitement to violence against Azerbaijanis, is ongoing,” Elnur Mammadov told the International Court of Justice.

Azerbaijan is asking the world court's judges to order Armenia to halt the laying of landmines, provide Azerbaijan with maps of minefields to assist clearance efforts and to take measures to halt incitement by Armenian groups of racial hatred and violence against Azerbaijani citizens.