LONDON — More badly needed humanitarian aid was on its way to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh via both Azerbaijan and Armenia on Saturday. The development comes days after Baku reclaimed control of the province and began talks with representatives of its ethnic Armenian population on reintegrating the area, prompting some residents to flee their homes for fear of reprisals.
The aid shipments and evacuations followed Azerbaijan’s months-long road blockade of the region led to food and fuel shortages. Baku followed with a lightning military offensive this week.
Nagorno-Karabakh came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by the Armenian military, in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Armenian forces also took control of substantial territory around the Azerbaijani region.
In 2020, Azerbaijan successfully regained authority over the neighboring land after engaging in a six-week conflict with Armenia. The war was brought to a close through a ceasefire facilitated by Russia, and subsequently, a group of 2,000 Russian peacekeepers was deployed to the area for supervision.
Azerbaijan initiated a strong attack using heavy artillery on ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday. However, a cease-fire was declared the following day, alleviating concerns about a potential third large-scale conflict in the area.
Under the agreement mediated by Russian peacekeeping forces, Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist authorities made sizable concessions: disbanding the region’s defense forces and withdrawing Armenia’s military contingent. But the question of Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status remains open, and at the center of talks between the sides that began Thursday in the Azerbaijani city of Yevlakh.
PHOTOS: Aid shipments and evacuations as Azerbaijan reasserts control over breakaway province
On Saturday, RIA Novosti, a Russian news agency, released images of tanks, air defense systems, and various weapons that were allegedly handed over by separatist forces in the province to the Azerbaijani army.
On Saturday, a video was captured showing numerous ethnic Armenians who were relocated by Russian peacekeepers from Nagorno-Karabakh following the Azerbaijani attack. The offensive was referred to as an “anti-terrorist operation” by Baku. These individuals were seen camping outside an airport close to the Russian peacekeepers’ headquarters.
Elena Yeremyan, residing in the village of Askeran, expressed to Artsakh TV, a broadcaster based in Nagorno-Karabakh, that she and her family had no plans to relocate from the area. This decision was influenced by their feeling of insecurity in any location following the arrival of Azerbaijani troops in the region.
Valeri Hayrapetyan, a resident of Haterk, mentioned that he and the people living nearby hastily departed once the Azerbaijani forces arrived in the village on the same day.
“He mentioned that individuals departed in whatever way they could, with one person even leaving without any garments. They were unable to bring anything with them. There are individuals who have not had a meal. Yesterday, someone even fainted due to extreme hunger.”
A third evacuee, also from Haterk, claimed that Azerbaijani troops were not allowing young men to leave. Romela Avanesyan also referenced rumors that they might be imprisoned, but did not provide specifics.
The evacuees’ claims could not be independently verified.
On Saturday, Ararat Mirzoyan, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, urged the United Nations to promptly dispatch representatives from different organizations to Nagorno-Karabakh. Their purpose would be to observe and evaluate the state of human rights, humanitarian aid, and security in the region. A U.N. spokesperson was contacted for a response regarding this appeal, which was made during the U.N. General Assembly’s yearly gathering of global leaders.
Mirzoyan expressed dissatisfaction with the international community’s neglect of the residents in the region, who have been facing danger and lack of resources since the road blockade started in December. He argued that Azerbaijan’s military action during the U.N.’s largest annual meeting was not a mere coincidence.
“I cannot reword”
Bayramov stated that Azerbaijan believes the international community has not taken sufficient action to convince Armenia to fulfill its obligations, lacking concrete measures and specific public statements.
Baku stated its commitment to meeting the urgent requirements of individuals in Nagorno-Karabakh and aims to reintegrate them as equal members of society. Azerbaijan has assured the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh that they will be granted all rights and freedoms as outlined in the country’s constitution and international human rights obligations, including protection for ethnic minorities.
On Saturday, Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. During the conversation, Blinken conveyed his profound worry regarding the ethnic Armenian community residing in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Miller stated that Blinken emphasized the U.S.’s appeal to Azerbaijan to safeguard civilians and fulfill its responsibilities in respecting the human rights and basic freedoms of the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh. Additionally, Azerbaijan was urged to ensure that its forces adhere to international humanitarian law.
The office of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced on Saturday the establishment of a “working group” aimed at offering medical assistance, food, and essential supplies to the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.
On Saturday, the Azerbaijani government announced that they transported more than 60 tons of fuel on that day. The fuel was transported through a road connecting the city of Aghdam to the regional capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert.
On Saturday, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced that it had sent 70 tons of humanitarian assistance, mainly flour, to Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor. However, Baku imposed a blockade in December, claiming that Yerevan was misusing the route for extracting minerals and smuggling weapons to the separatist forces in the province. Russian peacekeepers were initially responsible for guaranteeing unrestricted movement along the corridor.
Armenia claimed that the closure resulted in the deprivation of essential food and fuel provisions for around 120,000 individuals residing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan refuted this allegation, stating that the region could obtain supplies via Aghdam – an option that Nagorno-Karabakh authorities have consistently opposed, viewing it as a tactic for Baku to gain dominance over the area.
Earlier this week, the Defense Ministry of Russia announced that it has facilitated the transportation of aid through the Lachin corridor.
On Saturday, the state-run RIA Novosti agency reported that Moscow has provided more than 50 tons of food aid and essential items to Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russian Defense Ministry released a video on the same day, depicting Russian peacekeepers unloading the shipment.
Aliyev’s press office stated that there are now improved prospects to pursue a peace deal with Armenia, following three decades of conflict primarily revolving around the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The foreign minister stated to the General Assembly that Yerevan needs to take concrete actions in order to acknowledge Azerbaijani authority in the province.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the gathering that it was time “for mutual trust-building” between the adversaries, and that Russian troops “will certainly help.”
On Saturday, there were further protests in the main cities of Armenia, where demonstrators demanded that the government protect ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and called for Pashinyan’s resignation. The Investigative Committee of Armenia announced that it had initiated 49 criminal investigations against protesters who were allegedly inciting public unrest, engaging in vandalism, and possessing unauthorized weapons.
On Friday, the Armenian police informed Russia’s Interfax agency that they had apprehended 98 demonstrators during a rally in Yerevan.
