A ceasefire has been brokered between separatist forces and the Azerbaijani government in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, largely consisting of ethnic Armenians, have reportedly assented to a ceasefire proposal brokered by Russia. This development comes in response to Azerbaijan’s recent military offensive aimed at asserting control over the contested region. Azerbaijan had previously issued an ultimatum demanding an unconditional surrender from their adversaries.
The present ceasefire agreement took effect at 1 pm local time (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday and has been officially confirmed by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense. Furthermore, the office of President Ilham Aliyev has acknowledged holding separate negotiations with Armenian separatist factions regarding the potential “reintegration” of the disputed territory. These diplomatic talks are scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) in the town of Yevlkah.
Why is there conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region?
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a territorial dispute in the South Caucasus region between Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists. It centres around the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but largely populated by Armenian-identifying people. The root of the conflict can be traced back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union when tensions between Armenians and Azerbaijanis escalated into war following its disbandment.
The war lasted from 1988 to 1994 and resulted in significant casualties and population displacement on both sides. Although a ceasefire was established in 1994, many issues remained unresolved, leading to sporadic clashes in subsequent years.
At its core, the conflict revolves around the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, predominantly Armenian-populated, which seeks independence from Azerbaijan and aligns itself with Armenia. Azerbaijan, however, maintains that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of its territory.
Throughout the years, mediation efforts, primarily led by the OSCE Minsk Group (observers in conflict), aimed to find a peaceful solution, though have unfortunately, proven elusive, and the region continues to be fraught with tension, occasionally experiencing escalations in violence, such as the significant conflict outbreak in 2020.
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