On Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s armed forces initiated “local anti-terrorist activities” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but primarily inhabited by ethnic Armenians.
According to Azerbaijan’s defence ministry, this operation aims to restore constitutional order by disarming and forcing the withdrawal of Armenian military groups from their territories, emphasizing the neutralization of Armenian military infrastructure. This initiative is part of a broader effort to “restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” focusing only on valid military targets and sparing civilians and civilian establishments.
The defense ministry noted that the Russian peacekeeping force in the region and a Turkish-Russian monitoring centre, which oversees the adherence to the 2020 ceasefire agreement, were informed of their actions. Armenia, however, contends that it doesn’t have military personnel in Karabakh and that its operations are humanitarian, primarily controlled by Armenian authorities, which Azerbaijan has long been urging to disband and disarm.
Escalating Tensions and Humanitarian Concerns
Ruben Vardanyan, a notable figure in Karabakh’s Armenian administration until recently, reported a significant artillery attack initiated by Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh, significantly affecting cities and civilians. This claim, along with other statements from both sides, has yet to be verified by Reuters.
Azerbaijan justified this military operation, citing recent incidents where six Azerbaijani citizens were killed in land mine explosions, blaming “illegal Armenian armed groups” for these incidents. This announcement came shortly after delivering essential food and medical supplies to Karabakh, which seemed poised to alleviate growing tensions between the two nations.
Before this, Azerbaijan had severely restricted the Lachin corridor, the sole link between Armenia and Karabakh, alleging its use for arms trafficking and consequently barring aid deliveries. Armenia has criticized these actions as illegal, accusing Baku of creating a humanitarian crisis, a claim Azerbaijan denies. Moreover, Armenia’s foreign ministry noted that Azerbaijan’s recent diplomatic actions hint at preparation for potential military engagement.
