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After decades of territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, the biggest clashes since 2016 have increased the likelihood of a new full-scale war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the biggest enemies.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who addressed the nation on television, promised a victory over the Armenian forces. “Our aim is correct and we will win,” he said, reiterating a famous quote from Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin at the beginning of World War II in Russia. “The Azerbaijani army is fighting on its territory.”
„Reuters“ / „Scanpix“ nuotr./Kalnų Karabachas
Military readiness and military mobilization have been announced in Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is separated from Azerbaijan.
“The government has decided to declare a state of war and a global mobilization,” wrote Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Facebook.
He also instructed citizens to “prepare to defend our holy homeland.”
“Get ready to defend our holy homeland,” Pasinian wrote on Facebook.
“I have declared the military status” and the mobilization of all conscripts over the age of 18, said President Araik Arutiunian of Nagorno-Karabakh at an urgent parliamentary session in Stepanakert, the main city of the region.
Armenia reported early Sunday that Azerbaijan had targeted settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, including Stepanakert, and had killed a woman and a child.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has announced that it has launched a “counterattack to stop the fighting in Armenia and ensure the safety of the population.” The ministry said it used tanks, artillery, combat aviation and drones to fight back.
Reuters / Scanpix nuotr./Savanoriai renkasi Yerevane
“There are reports of civilian and military deaths and injuries,” said Hikmet Hajjev, spokesman for the Azerbaijani president. Nagorno-Karabakh ombudsman Artak Beglarian said there were “civilian casualties” in the region.
Russia calls for a ceasefire
Ethnic Armenian separatists took control of Nagorno-Karabakh from Baku during the 1991-1994 war, which claimed 30,000 soldiers. lives.
Although negotiations have been going on through Russia, the United States and France since 1994 to try to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, one of the biggest conflicts since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, no solution has yet been found. long-term.
France, Russia and the United States have mediated peace efforts such as the so-called “Minsk Group,” but the last serious attempt to reach a peace agreement failed in 2010.
A large-scale conflict between the Caucasus neighbors could involve larger regional players, Russia and Turkey.
Russia and France have already called on countries to cease fire.
“We call on the parties to immediately cease fire and begin negotiations to stabilize the situation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan has blamed Yerevan for the recent escalation and vows to provide “full support” to Baku.
“We strongly condemn Armenia’s attack on Azerbaijan,” Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on Twitter. “Armenia has violated the ceasefire agreement by attacking civilian objects.”
Turkish mercenaries
Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arutiunian accused Ankara of sending mercenaries to Azerbaijan.
“We have data that mercenaries from Turkey and other countries were transferred to Azerbaijan. The Turkish army is already in Azerbaijan under the guise of military training.”
The Nagorno-Karabakh presidency announced on Sunday morning that Azerbaijan had begun “actively bombing” objects along the Karabakh front line, including civilian targets in the main city of Stepanakert.
The Separatist Defense Ministry announced that its forces had shot down two Azerbaijani helicopters and three drones.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry denied the reports, saying that the country’s forces had responded to the Armenian attack.
Hajjev said that the Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh “seriously violated the ceasefire and launched an intense attack on the Azerbaijani armed forces along the front line using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery cannons.”
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Transport said it had “restricted Internet activity” in the country to “avoid Armenian provocations.”
Aliyev on Friday accused Armenia of undermining the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks.
During July, at least 17 soldiers from both sides were killed in serious clashes along the country’s border, hundreds of kilometers from Nagorno-Karabakh. Tensions were exacerbated by Azerbaijan’s threat to attack an Armenian nuclear power plant if Yerevan hits strategic targets.
Some 110 people were killed in the most serious clashes in April 2016.
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