Fighting between the two former Soviet republics in the South Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan, over the Nagorno-Karabakh region has flared up again. On Wednesday, the Azerbaijani army reported the capture of several mountain ranges in the region and the killing of Armenian fighters. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on Russian peacekeepers to take action.
The Armenian side admitted the loss of two killed and eight wounded. The soldiers are said to have been killed in a drone attack. Azerbaijan also reported the loss of one of its own soldiers. This was fired upon from the area where Russian peacekeepers are stationed to guard the ceasefire. The Russian defense ministry, in turn, accused Baku of violating the ceasefire.
Armenia demands recognition of ‘Nagorno Karabakh’
Pashinyan demanded that the deployment of Russian peacekeepers be “clarified”. Azerbaijan refuses to sign “a mandate document” of the Russian troops deployed since November 2020. He also called on Azerbaijan to “recognize the existence of Nagorno-Karabakh”. The “Lachin Corridor”, which connects the Lachin district in Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenian territory, must also be recognized.
After a first war in the 1990s, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought another war over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in the autumn of 2020. 6,500 people were killed in the six-week fighting. The armed conflict was ended by an agreement brokered by Russia. Armenia had to give up large areas. Since then, a return program for Azerbaijanis in the “liberated” areas has been launched. However, it is questionable whether many people dare to go there, as much of the infrastructure is still destroyed. In addition, many mines have not yet been removed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
