Canada Suspends Arms Supply to Turkey

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne has announced the suspension of arms supply to Turkey. The minister made the statement on his Twitter account, writing, "In accordance with strict export control measures and ongoing investigations, I have suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey."

Champagne added that Canada is calling for immediate actions to prevent violence and protect civilians. On October 2, he stated that arms exports to Turkey would be halted if evidence of human rights violations was proven. The Armenian National Committee of Canada urged the federal government to condemn Azerbaijan's blatant aggression against Artsakh and to immediately stop arms exports to Turkey.

Starting early morning on September 27, Azerbaijan initiated heavy shelling along the contact line with Artsakh. Civilian areas, including the capital Stepanakert and the city of Shusha, were shelled and hit by missiles, resulting in the deaths of 19 civilians in various regions of Artsakh. Azerbaijan's armed forces also targeted military and civilian infrastructures in Armenia, leading to the death of one civilian in the Vardenis region and the burning of a civilian bus due to an Azerbaijani drone strike.

Evidence has surfaced regarding Turkey's involvement in the war. In September, a Turkish F-16 aircraft shot down a Su-25 ground attack aircraft of the Armenian Air Force in Armenia's airspace, resulting in the pilot's death. On October 1, the enemy used artillery against the village of Shatvan in the Gegharkunik region and launched a missile from an attack drone at the settlement of Mets Masrik, resulting in one civilian death and two civilians sustaining various degrees of injury.