The Renewed Azerbaijani-Armenian Tension: A Call for Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Renewed Azerbaijani-Armenian Tension: A Call for Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Lithuanian Intervention

Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, has recently implored Azerbaijan to suspend its military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and engage in negotiations with the Armenians. His appeal for an immediate ceasefire was conveyed through social media, where he emphasized the importance of dialogue between Baku and the Karabakh Armenians for the purpose of peaceful coexistence. The Foreign Minister expressed his concern over Azerbaijan’s military activities undermining the international community’s efforts to establish a lasting peace.

Azerbaijan’s Military Operation

Azerbaijan commenced a military campaign in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, demanding the total withdrawal of Armenian forces from the contentious mountainous territory, as a prerequisite for peace. This comes after months of allegations from Armenia, claiming that Azerbaijan has been escalating its military presence. Armenia has also criticized Azerbaijan’s blockade of the only land link to Nagorno-Karabakh.

(Read Also: Call for Ceasefire: Nagorno-Karabakh Proposes Truce Amid Escalating Tension With Azerbaijan)

History of the Conflict

The current tension arises almost three years after a brief yet intense war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed mountainous region. The international response to Azerbaijan’s military operation, the call for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue, and the ongoing tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh region underline the gravity of the situation.

Global Response and Escalation

Washington has asked Azerbaijan to halt the military action it launched into Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia has also urged both sides in the conflict to stop the bloodshed in the disputed mountain region. After months of escalating tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan sent troops backed by artillery strikes into the region in a bid to control the breakaway region. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, but a portion of it is governed by separatist Armenian authorities who claim it as their ancestral homeland.

(Read Also: Nagorno-Karabakh: A Century-Long Conflict and its Complex Implications)

Efforts Towards De-escalation

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held conversations with both Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, urging Baku to de-escalate the situation. In a call readout, the U.S. Department of State mentioned that Aliyev “expressed readiness” to cease hostilities and hold a meeting with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Impact on Civilians

Karabakh separatist authorities reported that 27 people, including two civilians, were killed and more than 200 were injured as a result of Azerbaijan’s military action. Some villages saw residents being evacuated due to the escalating conflict.

(Read Also: Azerbaijan’s Anti-Terrorist Operation in Nagorno-Karabakh: A Shift in the South Caucasus Power Balance)

Russian Intervention

Russia, early on Wednesday, called on both sides to stop the bloodshed and hostilities and return to implementing the 2020 ceasefire agreement. Russia’s foreign ministry urged the conflicting parties to “immediately stop the bloodshed, stop hostilities and eliminate civilian casualties”.

Continued Tensions

Relations between Russia and Armenia — traditional allies — have significantly deteriorated since President Vladimir Putin initiated the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and further deteriorated in recent months over what Yerevan claims is Moscow’s failure to fully uphold the 2020 ceasefire deal. This situation highlights the fragility of the ceasefire and the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.