2023-09-19 20:05:19
Three years later, tensions have not eased between Armenia and Azerbaijan. As proof: Baku launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday, demanding the “total and unconditional” withdrawal of its Armenian adversary from this region disputed for decades with Yerevan. International reactions, civilians killed, “anti-terrorist operations”… 20 Minutes explains the latest developments in this hot region of Central Asia.
An “anti-terrorist” operation, according to Baku
In the morning, the deaths of four Azerbaijani police officers and two civilians appear to have triggered Baku’s anger. The four police officers were killed when their vehicle exploded on a mine on a road to Shusha, a town in Azerbaijani-controlled Karabakh, and the two civilians were killed by a mine in the same area, Azerbaijani security services said in two reports. press releases.
Barely an hour after this news, Azerbaijan announced that it had launched “anti-terrorist operations” targeting Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. “As part of these measures, the positions of the Armenian armed forces (…) are rendered harmless using high-precision weapons on the front line and in depth,” said the Azerbaijani ministry. of Defense in a press release. Azerbaijani diplomacy warned that “the only way to achieve peace and stability” was “the unconditional and total withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces” from the territory and “the dissolution of the so-called separatist regime”.
Shooting on inhabited areas, civilians killed
The capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, and other towns in the region were thus targeted by “intensive fire”, declared the Armenian separatist authorities. After an initial report of two deaths, they announced that 25 people, including two civilians, died and 80 were injured, including 15 civilians. “Civilian infrastructure is also being targeted” by the Azerbaijani army, said Gegham Stepanyan, the separatist region’s rights defender. The Azerbaijani army is trying to advance “deeply” into Karabakh, added the separatists who accuse Baku of using artillery, aviation and drones.
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The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, for its part, indicated that it was setting up humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from the disputed region while the Azerbaijani authorities announced the death of a civilian in the clashes, affected ” by shrapnel. “In order to enable the evacuation of the population from the dangerous zone, humanitarian corridors and reception points have been set up on the Lachin road and in other directions,” the ministry said in a statement. Civilians from six localities in Nagorno-Karabakh were evacuated, Armenian separatist authorities said in the evening.
Armenia defends itself against any provocation
In response to accusations from the Azerbaijani authorities, Yerevan assured that it had no armed forces deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh, implying that only its separatist allies were there to face the “anti-terrorist operations” launched by Azerbaijan. Allies who are also demanding a ceasefire and negotiations with Baku. Armenia believes that Baku’s goal is to carry out “ethnic cleansing” of this separatist territory mainly populated by Armenians.
“Nikol Pashinian has called a meeting of the Security Council. The agenda includes a discussion of large-scale military actions initiated by Azerbaijan,” the press service of the Armenian defense body was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. The Prime Minister also denounced calls for a “coup d’état” in Armenia, while television reported hundreds of demonstrators massed in front of the government headquarters in Yerevan.
Russia and Turkey in the game?
Baku said it had informed Russia and Turkey of its operations in the enclave, and Moscow then said it had only been warned “a few minutes” before their start. The Kremlin, “concerned”, said through its spokesperson that it was trying to convince Armenia and Azerbaijan to return “to the negotiating table”.
For its part, Turkey considers the “concerns” that led to the military operation “legitimate”. The Turkish president subsequently affirmed “to support the measures taken by Azerbaijan (…) to defend its territorial integrity”.
International reactions
France requested “the emergency convening of a meeting of the United Nations Security Council”, condemning the military operation “with the greatest firmness”. The military operation led by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave is “illegal, unjustifiable, unacceptable”, reacted Catherine Colonna, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. “I would like to emphasize that we hold Azerbaijan responsible for the fate of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,” she added. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, who has led mediation in the past between the two countries, judged that Azerbaijan must “immediately” cease its operation.
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