Azerbaijan shells breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh

Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, is among the targets of this latest military offensive.

NEW DELHI | Updated: 20 September, 2023 7:05 pm IST
Azerbaijan campaign in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh

NEW DELHI: In a troubling turn of events, Azerbaijan has initiated a shelling campaign in the Armenian-populated breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh), according to authorities.

Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, is among the targets of this latest military offensive.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry has confirmed the attack, revealing that the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh to safeguard the Armenian population was notified in advance about the assault.

The Azerbaijani military has accused the Karabakh military of staging a provocation by allegedly planting a mine in territories controlled by Azerbaijan. This alleged incident has reportedly resulted in the tragic loss of two civilian lives.

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The Nagorno-Karabakh Défense Army, in response, has vehemently denied these accusations, as it has consistently done in the face of various claims made by Azerbaijan.

Adding to the ongoing crisis, since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has blocked the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, known as the Lachin Corridor. The blockade was further tightened on June 15, 2023, with Baku banning emergency relief supplies that were previously carried out by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross through this critical lifeline. Consequently, this move has exacerbated severe shortages of essential supplies, including food, medicine, and other vital items, severely affecting the region’s population.

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The situation has reached a grim milestone, with the Karabakh Human Rights Defender’s office reporting the first case of death due to starvation on August 15. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis as the blockade persists, raising concerns about the welfare and safety of the local population.

The international community is closely monitoring these developments, and calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. As tensions escalate, there is growing urgency for diplomatic efforts to defuse the situation and alleviate the suffering of the people caught in the crossfire in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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