Pictures posted this morning on various Telegram channels show that Azerbaijan has now launched extensive attacks against the predominantly Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. In and around the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, explosions are heard, and unmanned drones from the Azerbaijani defense fly over the city. Nagorno-Karabakh is formally part of Azerbaijan, but in practice has been self-governing and closely linked to Armenia after a bloody war in the early 1990s. That time, the better organized Armenian forces prevailed. “War is not so bad for us. Some things are more important than peace.” For over 100 years, Azerbaijanis and Armenians have been fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. The war in 2020 But in 2020, Azerbaijan struck back and recaptured large areas. A road through the Lachin Corridor controlled by Russian forces has been the only connection to Armenia itself. But in the spring of 2023, Azerbaijan also took control of this connection, and has at times prevented transport to Nagorno-Karabakh, on the grounds that Armenia has used the road to transport military equipment to the enclave. Last weekend, an agreement was reached between the Armenian separatists and the Azerbaijani authorities that transport in and out of Nagorno-Karabakh can start again. But on Tuesday morning, four Azerbaijani policemen and two civilians were killed by what Azerbaijani authorities say was a mine deployed by Armenian separatists. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense says it has informed Turkey and Russia about what it calls a local anti-terrorist operation. Not war – but “anti-terror operation” In the same way as when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the war against Ukraine in February 2022, the word war is not used for what is now happening in the southern part of the Caucasus. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in a statement reproduced by the RIA news agency that the only way for peace in the area is a total withdrawal of the Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani authorities say they have now established humanitarian corridors both on the Lachin road and on another road for those who want to leave Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia has deployed so-called peacekeeping forces in the area, but so far it does not appear that they are intervening against the Azerbaijani attack. – We encourage both parties to respect the ceasefire agreements that have been concluded, says spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She says that the Russian authorities are in contact with Azerbaijan about the situation. Mobile network dead In parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, the mobile network does not work, according to the news platform Nexta. Azerbaijan is said to have also closed its airspace to flights from Armenia. By contrast, Azerbaijan does not appear to have so far directed attacks across the border into Armenia itself. – The situation at the country’s borders is relatively stable, says a statement from the Armenian Ministry of Defence. The Armenian Ministry of Defense also says it has no forces in Nagorno Karabakh.
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Azerbaijan attacks the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
