After the reconquest of the South Caucasian region of Nagorno-Karabakh, authoritarian Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev raised the country’s national flag in many places. Aliyev, who leads Azerbaijan with an iron fist, was photographed in several locations in military uniform and also kissed the national flag, images released by the presidential government in Baku showed on Sunday.
From Azerbaijan’s point of view, his complete removal of the region, which had been fought over for decades, from Armenia’s influence with a military operation in September is considered the 61-year-old’s greatest political success.
More than 100,000 Karabakh Armenians fled the region
Before the reconquest, the majority of people in Nagorno-Karabakh were Armenians. Fearing violence from the Azerbaijanis, more than 100,000 Karabakh Armenians fled the region as a result of the military operation.
Aliyev is criticized
The Azerbaijani leadership had recently stated several times that there was no reason to flee. President Aliyev, who has been internationally criticized for human rights abuses and suppression of dissent, had also said normalization of relations with Armenia was now possible. The two former Soviet republics are still enemies today. Aliyev had announced that he would settle the Azerbaijanis in the recaptured region. The area is known not least for its extremely fertile soil.
According to official information, Aliyev raised the national flag during a tour, including in the Karabakh capital Khankendi (Stepanakert) and in Aghdara (Martakert). Last year, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan officially confirmed that Nagorno-Karabakh was part of Azerbaijan. Aliyev then announced in September that the military operation would restore constitutional order.
Source: Krone
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