NAGORNO-KARABAKH

2. History of the Conflict

• The conflict between Azeris and Armenians over Nagorno-Karabakh goes back a century.
• The region is located within the international borders of Azerbaijan, but it has a majority ethnic Armenian population.
• In 1920, the region was incorporated into the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
• However, when the Soviet Union was formed in 1922, Nagorno-Karabakh was made an autonomous Oblast (administrative region) within Azerbaijan.
• When the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, full-scale fighting again broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia as Armenian rebels declared Nagorno-Karabakh an independent territory. The war lasted till 1994 and killed around 30,000 people.
• In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia entered a ceasefire brokered by Russia, but international borders for the countries were not demarcated.
• In 2016, a four-day war reignited hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but a lasting resolution remained elusive.
• In 2020, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev launched a military offensive to reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in a six-week-long, deadly conflict that claimed over 2,000 lives.
• Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, recaptured 40% of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite a ceasefire brokered by Russia, Azerbaijan continued its efforts to control the region.
• In December 2022, Azerbaijan blockaded the Lachin Corridor, the vital road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, citing environmental concerns. This move added to the region's economic hardship.

3. Lachin Corridor

• The Lachin Corridor is a narrow strip of land, approximately 13-15 kilometres wide and around 178 kilometres long, located in the South Caucasus.
• It is considered a humanitarian corridor or "lifeline" to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, as it is the only road connecting the region to Armenia and the rest of the world.
• The Lachin Corridor is of immense importance due to its role as the primary land route connecting Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly ethnic Armenian region, to Armenia proper.
• Without access to this corridor, Nagorno-Karabakh becomes geographically isolated from Armenia.

4. Factors Behind the Recent Developments

• Experts suggest that Turkey played a significant role in the latest developments, although it denied direct involvement in Azerbaijan's offensive.
• Turkey is a political and military supporter of Azerbaijan.
• Russia's focus on its conflict in Ukraine limited its involvement in the Caucasus.
• Armenia's frustration with Russia's lack of support led it to vote to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite Russia's warnings.
• The ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have fled to Armenia in response to the recent events, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis.

5. Conclusion

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a complex and volatile issue with a deep historical legacy. Recent developments, marked by Azerbaijan's control over the region and the displacement of Armenians, underscore the urgent need for a sustainable and peaceful resolution to this long-standing dispute.