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Sunday, September 27, 2020
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting for decades for the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Now the conflict is intensifying. They shoot down helicopters, bombardments with dead civilians. Armenia has now declared a state of war. The EU calls for an immediate ceasefire.
The military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the predominantly Armenian-inhabited Nagorno-Karabakh region has flared up again: Rebel troops backed by Armenia and the Azerbaijani army fought fierce battles on Sunday. The head of the Armenian government, Nikol Pashinyan, declared martial law and ordered a general mobilization. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev promised “victory” over “separatists” in a televised speech.
Both sides blamed each other for the outbreak of violence. According to the pro-Armenian regional government, the Azerbaijani army shelled targets in Nagorno-Karabakh early Sunday morning, including the capital Stepanakert. “All responsibility for this rests with the political-military leadership of Azerbaijan,” said the spokeswoman for the Armenian Defense Ministry. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said the army had launched a “counteroffensive” to stop “Armenian military activities” in the region and ensure the safety of the population.
Tanks, fighter jets, drones and artillery are used. “Today, the Azerbaijani army is fighting on its territory, defending territorial integrity and inflicting devastating blows on the enemy,” said President Aliyev. “Our cause is just and we will win.”
A representative of the Azerbaijani Presidential Office spoke of civilians and soldiers killed and wounded. According to the authorities, numerous houses in villages were destroyed. The Armenian Defense Ministry, which supports the rebels, reported the shooting down of two Azerbaijani military helicopters and three drones. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, spoke of a single downed helicopter.
In recent weeks, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has flared up again. Both parties accused each other of attacking towns in the border area. In July, heavy fighting broke out on the border between the warring republics. However, the fighting occurred hundreds of kilometers north of Nagorno-Karabakh. In April 2016, more than 100 people were killed in violent clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh. In 2010, the last major peace initiative between Yerevan and Baku failed.
Conflict can have far-reaching consequences
The two Caucasus states, Armenia and Azerbaijan, have been in conflict over control of the region for almost 30 years. But the roots go back even further. As early as 1917, after the end of the Tsarist era, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a civil war over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1921, the Soviet ruler Josef Stalin struck the region of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, since 1923 it enjoyed autonomy.
With the support of Yerevan, pro-Armenian rebels took control of the Armenian-majority area in the late 1980s. There were around 30,000 deaths. In 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence. However, internationally, the area is not yet recognized as an independent state. Azerbaijan wants to fully regain the region under its control, if necessary by force.
A protracted military conflict between Yerevan and Baku could have far-reaching effects. Russia and Turkey compete for influence in the Caucasus region. Oil-rich Azerbaijan has upgraded its military in recent years and can count on Turkey’s support. Russia, on the other hand, supports Armenia, where it maintains a military base.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on both sides to stop the fire immediately. Baku and Yerevan should also start talks to stabilize the situation. The ministry spoke of “heavy shelling on both sides of the contact line.” Neighboring Turkey accused Armenia of violating international law. The Ankara Foreign Ministry said it strongly condemned the “Armenian attack”. The EU called for an immediate end to the fighting and a return to the negotiating table.
