What you need to know about the confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh - Walla! news

2020-09-29T13:29:40.097Z

The new and dangerous outbreak of the conflict that has been going on for several decades could develop into an all-out war, and along the way drag the Turkish and Russian powers as well

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What to know about the confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh

The new and dangerous outbreak of the conflict that has been going on for several decades could develop into an all-out war, and along the way drag the Turkish and Russian powers as well

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Azerbaijani soldiers launch mortar at Nagorno-Karabakh positions (Photo: AP)

What's the bottom line?

The mountainous and forested territory lies within the territory of Azerbaijan and is recognized under international law as part of it.

However, Armenian residents, who make up the majority of some 150,000, oppose Azeri rule.

They have been de facto independent, supported by Armenia, since the Azeri forces were repulsed in the war in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

A ceasefire was reached in 1994, but at least 200 people were killed in a short war in 2016.

Nagorno-Karabakh survives largely thanks to Armenian financial support and donations from the Armenian diaspora around the world.

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Why did the fighting break out now?

Tensions between the parties were built throughout the summer, until the outbreak of clashes on Sunday.

The timing is significant because the foreign powers that have mediated in the past - Russia, France and the United States - have been distracted by the corona plague, US elections and global crises, from Lebanon to Belarus.

A low-intensity round of fighting that erupted in July received a quiet response from the international community.

Turkey, which has held major military exercises with Azerbaijan in July and August, expresses more overt support than before.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Ankara stands by Azerbaijan "by all means and with all its heart."

He did not directly address Armenian claims of direct Turkish support with military experts, UAVs and fighter jets. Azerbaijan denies this.

Relatives of a man injured during the shelling of Stefankart, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh (Photo: AP)

What are the risks?

Some 30,000 people have been killed in the fighting since 1988, and dozens have been killed and hundreds more injured since the beginning of the week.

Olesia Vertanyan, a senior expert at Crisis Group, said the fighting was taking place throughout the front line.

According to her, the use of rockets and artillery increases the risk of harm to civilians, so it will be difficult to stop the escalation by diplomatic means.

This could drag Russia, its defense alliance with Armenia and military forces there, and Turkey, into the conflict.

The southern Caucasus province is an important corridor for oil and gas transmission.

Azerbaijani army tank fires during clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh region (Photo: AP)

How can the fighting be stopped?

Russia, which also has good relations with Azerbaijan, apparently holds the key to halting hostilities.

If it succeeds in leading to a ceasefire, it will help it in a period of growing criticism of it on other fronts, including its support for Belarus and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken at least twice with Armenian Prime Minister Nicole Faschian since Sunday, but it is unclear whether he tried to talk to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Today, the UN Security Council will convene to discuss the crisis.

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Source: walla

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What you need to know about the confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh - Walla! news

What to know about the confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh

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