For decades, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an area with a predominantly Armenian population. Following several peace deals brokered by Russia and the United Nations, Azerbaijan has maintained control over the region, while Armenia has been attempting to relocate ethnic Armenians out of the territory. However, this relocation process has been slow due to the reluctance of Armenians to leave, leading to a significant armed Armenian separatist movement in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In December 2022, Azerbaijan blocked the only road connecting Armenia with the Nagorno-Karabakh in attempt to starve out the Armenians. When this tactic failed, Azerbaijan launched a major military offensive in the region on September 19th, resulting in the deaths of over 200 people. Several hours into the offensive, the Armenian separatists agreed to completely disarm and leave Nagorno-Karabakh. While this agreement has the potential to pave the way for a permanent resolution, past agreements have shown that such a resolution is highly unlikely. Furthermore, the terms of the proposed agreement create conditions that could increase the likelihood of a genocide, similar to the one experienced by Armenians during the Ottoman Empire, for Armenians who refuse to leave Nagorno-Karabakh.
By: Frank Kwak
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