2023 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement
On 20 September 2023 a ceasefire agreement ending the Azerbaijani military offensive against the self-proclaimed Armenian Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh was reached. The agreement was brokered by the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in the region since the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. Under the terms of the agreement, the Artsakh Defence Army was disbanded. The Russian peacekeepers sheltered at their base camp 2,261 people, of whom 1,049 were children.[1]
Background
Nagorno-Karabakh has been a disputed region between Azerbaijan and local ethnic Armenians. In 1991 a breakaway Armenian Republic of Artsakh, formerly the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, was formed there, but the region remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. The Republic of Artsakh soon formed its own military, the Artsakh Defence Army.
On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive in the region against local Artsakh armed forces. Azerbaijan cited several prior landmine incidents in the region: two separate explosions killed six people, another one killed two employees of the Azerbaijani highway department, four more were killed while responding to the incident, with another mine explosion killing four soldiers and two civilians.[2] Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Russian peacekeepers were notified only "a few minutes" before Azerbaijani offensive began.[2] Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense reported that positions on the front line and in-depth, long-term firing points of the formations of the Artsakh armed forces, as well as combat assets and military facilities had been incapacitated using high-precision weapons.[2]
On 20 September, the Artsakh armed forces said Azerbaijani troops had broken through their lines and captured several heights and strategic road junctions.[1] On the same day, at an early morning press conference, Azerbaijani Colonel Anar Eyvazov called upon local Armenian forces to lay down their arms and surrender.[3] Shortly thereafter, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh said they had accepted the proposal of the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent regarding a ceasefire.[1]
Agreement
The ceasefire agreement was reached on 20 September 2023, at 13:00 AZT under the following terms: the formations of the Artsakh armed forces and illegal Armenian armed formations in the region lay down their arms, leave combat positions and military posts and completely disarm, units of the Armenian armed forces leave the territory of Azerbaijan, illegal Armenian armed formations are disbanded with the simultaneous surrender of all weapons and heavy equipment, while the implementation of those conditions is ensured in coordination with the Russian peacekeeping contingent.[4] The agreement disbanded the Artsakh Defence Army after 31 years, becoming a milestone in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Although the agreement's terms entailed complete surrender, it was framed as a ceasefire rather than instrument of surrender, pending the conclusion of a future peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Russia-mediated negotiations began on 21 September 2023 in Yevlakh over the agreement's terms, particularly the disarmament of Armenian separatists and the reintegration of Nagorno-Karabakh population into Azerbaijan. By 26 September 2023, Azerbaijan seized from the enemy 251,308 pieces of ammunition, 1,674 accoutrements, 909 small arms and grenades, 226 air defense means, 164 optical and other devices, 75 automobile vehicles, 47 artillery weapons, 22 armored vehicles and 21 trailers.[5]
Reactions
In a televised address later on 20 September, Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev announced that the country had "restored its sovereignty" over Nagorno-Karabakh after the offensive, achieving the "complete surrender" of local Armenian forces.[6]
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan distanced himself from the agreement, saying that Armenia had not been involved in drafting the ceasefire and that "Armenia doesn’t have an army in Nagorno-Karabakh". Nonetheless, Pashinyan said he supported the ceasefire and it was “very important” that it held.[6] Protests began in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, over government's alleged failure to protect ethnic Armenians, with protestors demanding the resignation of Pashinyan.
References
- ^ a b c "Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces reach Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire deal". Al Jazeera. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ a b c "Azerbaijan Announces an 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' Targeting Armenian Positions in Nagorno-Karabakh". Voice of America. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "Polkovnik Anar Eyvazov: "Ermənistan silahlı qüvvələrinin birləşmələrini silahı yerə qoymağa və təslim olmağa çağırırıq" - VİDEO" (in Azerbaijani). Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "Сепаратисты в Карабахе сдались Азербайджану" (in Russian). Trend News Agency. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "Military equipment, weapons and ammunition seized in the Karabakh region - LIST". Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Nagorno-Karabakh: ceasefire agreed after dozens killed in military offensive". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2023.