Azerbaijan Launches Military Action in Nagorno-Karabakh, Raising Concerns of Full-Scale Aggression
Baku, September 19, 2023 – Azerbaijan has initiated military action in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a move that could potentially ignite a new war in the volatile South Caucasus. Baku claims that the operation is necessary to restore constitutional order and remove Armenian military formations from the area.
Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized as Azerbaijani territory internationally, is governed by breakaway ethnic Armenian authorities who consider the region their ancestral homeland. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the region has been at the center of two wars, with the most recent occurring in 2020.
Multiple videos circulating on social media show the sound of loud and repeated shelling in Stepanakert, the capital of Karabakh, known as Khankendi by Azerbaijan. Gegham Stepanyan, the Karabakh separatist human rights ombudsman, claimed that the civilian population has suffered “multiple casualties” due to strikes by Azerbaijan’s military. However, Reuters cannot independently verify this statement.
The Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense stated that their objective is to disarm and secure the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories while neutralizing their military infrastructure. They emphasized that their operation only targets legitimate military targets using high-precision weapons, with no intention to harm civilians. Azerbaijan also announced the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave, including a corridor to Armenia.
Ethnic Armenian forces in Karabakh reported that Azerbaijani forces were attempting to breach their defenses after heavy shelling. However, they claimed to be holding the line for now.
Armenia, which had been engaged in peace talks with Azerbaijan, condemned what it referred to as Baku’s “full-scale aggression” against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia accused Azerbaijan of shelling towns and villages. The Armenian Foreign Ministry alleged that Azerbaijan openly claimed responsibility for the aggression. Reuters could not independently verify the claims made by either side.
Armenia has appealed for intervention from members of the U.N. Security Council and requested Russian peacekeepers on the ground to intervene. Russia, which brokered a fragile ceasefire in 2020 and has peacekeepers stationed in Karabakh, called on all parties to cease fighting.
Armenia criticized Russia for being too preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine to address its own security concerns effectively. It also accused Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh of failing to fulfill their responsibilities.
Ruben Vardanyan, a banker and former top official in Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian administration, called for Armenia to recognize Karabakh’s self-declared independence from Azerbaijan. Additionally, he urged the international community to impose sanctions on Baku, highlighting the dire situation faced by the region’s inhabitants, including 30,000 children, pregnant women, and elderly individuals.
The Armenian government held a security council meeting to discuss the escalating situation. In Yerevan, the Armenian capital, people gathered in the government district to demand decisive action from the authorities.
The military operation by Azerbaijan follows recent tensions over the delivery of essential food and medicine to Karabakh. Despite Azerbaijan’s previous restrictions on the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Armenia to Karabakh, aid was successfully transported. The move was seen as a potential de-escalation of tensions between the two countries. However, Azerbaijan had accused Armenia of using the route for arms smuggling, while Yerevan argued that Baku’s actions caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
As the situation continues to develop, concerns grow over the threat of a full-scale war in the South Caucasus region. The international community closely watches the conflict, with hopes for a peaceful resolution and the protection of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Reporting by Reuters
Written by Andrew Osborn
Editing by [Editor’s Name]