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2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

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2016 Armenian–Azerbaijani border clashes
Part of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenian–Azerbaijani border conflict

  Territory controlled by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
  Territory claimed by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic but controlled by Azerbaijan
Date2 April, 2016 – present
(8 years, 7 months, 1 week and 2 days)
Location
Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact
Belligerents
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)
 Armenia		  Azerbaijan
Casualties and losses

Official Armenian figures:[1]

  • 18 soldiers, 4 civilians killed
  • 35–40 soldiers, 6 civilians wounded
  • 1 tank destroyed

Azerbaijani claim:

  • 130+ soldiers killed or wounded[2][3]
  • 13 tanks, 15 artillery destroyed[4][2]
  • 1 drone shot down[5]

Official Azerbaijani figures:[2][6]

  • 15 soldiers killed
  • 1 Mi-24 helicopter shot down
  • 1 tank damaged

Armenian claim:[7][1]

  • 200 soldiers killed
  • 2 helicopters, 6 drones shot down
  • 20 tanks, 5+ armored vehicles (1 IFV), 1 MRL destroyed

On 2 April 2016, clashes occurred on the line of contact between the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and Armenian Armed Forces on one side and the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the other side in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Later that day, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense announced a unilateral end of the active clashes from its side, but according to Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, the attacks continued.[8] According to official statements of the involved sides, 18 Armenian soldiers and 12 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed during the clashes,[9] and several pieces of military equipment from both sides were destroyed. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also confirmed the deaths of three civilians.[10]

Clashes

Each side blamed the other for the outbreak of hostilities which breached the ceasefire terms of the Bishkek Protocol. According to Armenian sources, on late night of April 1 and early morning of April 2 the Azerbajani side launched large-scale attacking actions along the contact-line between the Kharabakh-Azerbajani opposing forces, on April 2, at 8:30 am Vaghinak Grigoryan, born in 2004, was killed as a result of missile artillery attack from MM-21 Grad realized in the borders of Martuni. Two children were wounded as well.[11] According to Azerbaijani sources, on 2 April Azerbaijani positions and inhabited places near the front line came under fire from Armenian military that killed and wounded several civilians.[12] In response to that, the Azerbaijani army launched counter-fights around Aghdara, Tartar, Agdam, Khojavend and Fuzuli.[13] It said that its frontline forces had suddenly come under fire from mortars and high caliber grenade launchers before the Azerbaijani Army was forced to take urgent measures to respond.[14] According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, during a rapid counter-offensive the front defense line of Armenian side was broken in several places and several strategic heights and inhabited places were retaken (including the strategically important hill of Lala Tepe).[12][13] The Azerbaijani side claimed that they had captured some areas including heights near the village of Talysh, as well as the village of Seysulan.[15] 14,400 people living in villages were affected by clashes, but no internal displacement or immediate humanitarian need was reported.[10] According to Armenian officials, almost all residents of Talysh and the nearby village of Madagiz had been evacuated and provided with shelter in other parts of the region.[16] According to President of the Republic of Armenia in Talysh they shot Valera Khalapyan and his wife Razmela in their home and then cut off their ears. Azerbaijani soldiers also executed Marousya Khalapyan (born 1924).[17][18][19]

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan sharply accused Azerbaijan of "launching an unprovoked coordinated ground offensive against Armenia’s forces", saying the Azerbaijani military used warplanes, tanks and artillery to try to make inroads into Nagorno-Karabakh.[14] During the first day of fighting, Armenian forces claimed to have destroyed at least three Azerbaijani tanks, two military helicopters (including at least one armed Mil Mi-8/17) and two unmanned drones, photographs and videos of which surfaced on the internet.[20] Armenian frontline positions were reinforced, heavy artillery was brought forward, and in the NKR capital Stepanakert reservists were called up. On April 3, Armenian military authorities announced that NKR forces had recaptured positions around Talysh,[21] which in turn was refuted by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense.[22]

On April 3, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense announced a unilateral end to hostilities. The Armenian Defense Ministry quickly countered Azerbaijani claims, saying hostilities had yet to cease.[23] The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense warned that should Armenian shelling pursue, Azerbaijan will continue its offensive.[24] On April 4, it reported that an Armenian command and control centre had been destroyed and released a video capturing the attack. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense claimed that along with numerous military personnel, two high-ranking Armenian officers were killed as a result.[25]

In the course of the clashes, mortar shells fired from Nagorno-Karabakh hit a village in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azerbaijan, but no casualties or damages were reported.[26]

International reactions

Supranational bodies
  •  EU – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini urged the parties "to stop the fighting immediately and observe the ceasefire".[27]
  •  UN – Secretary General Ban Ki-moon demanded all sides involved in the conflict to immediately cease all armed hostilities and observe the terms of ceasefire.[28]
  • PACE – President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt called on both sides to respect the ceasefire and resume peaceful negotiations. He also called for the withdrawal of all Armenian armed troops from occupied Azerbaijani territories in compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions.[29]
  • OIC – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned "the attack by Armenian forces on the borders of occupied Azerbaijani territories" and Yerevan’s "disrespect of the unilateral ceasefire" announced by Baku.[30]
  • CSTO - A spokesman for the head of the CSTO, Nikolay Bordyuzha, stated that the conflict must be settled through negotiations. Bordyuzha added that the Azerbaijani side is "leading to the escalation of the situation and the conflict".[31]
OSCE Minsk Group and co-chair countries
  • OSCE Minsk Group – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group expressed "grave concern over the reported large-scale ceasefire violations that are taking place along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone" and strongly condemned "the use of force and regret the senseless loss of life, including civilians".[32] The OSCE Minsk Group scheduled to have a meeting on April 5 in Vienna over the incidents.[33]
  •  United States – The State Department condemned ceasefire violations and urged the sides to "show restraint, avoid further escalation, and strictly adhere to the ceasefire." Their statement continued, "The unstable situation on the ground demonstrates why the sides must enter into an immediate negotiation under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. We reiterate that there is no military solution to the conflict. As a co-chair country, the United States is firmly committed to working with the sides to reach a lasting and negotiated peace."[34]
  •  Russia – President Vladimir Putin called on both sides to end hostilities and show restraint.[35]
Other states
  •  Belarus – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties to continue seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict "in accordance with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, first of all, on the basis of respect and guaranteeing of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, as well as the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and decisions of the OSCE". The Belarusian ambassador to Armenia was summoned to be informed that Yerevan was "deeply bewildered" by this statement which "does not correspond to the spirit of the Armenian-Belarusian relations" and "is detrimental to the negotiation process".[36][37]
  •  Georgia – Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili expressed concern over the recent developments in the region and expressed hope that the international community's efforts will help to de-escalate the situation.[38] In a telephone call with her Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov, Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli reaffirmed Georgia's support of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.[39]
  •  Germany – Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on both sides to immediately stop fighting and to fully respect the ceasefire.[40]
  •  Iran – Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari called for both sides to "refrain from any manner or action" which could "worsen the situation." He added that Iran recommends a cessation of hostilities by reaching a peaceful solution within the framework of United Nations regulations, while he further underlined that, as the region has been the scene of "destructive actions" by extremist groups, such clashes arouse "severe concerns" for Iran.[41]
  •  Kazakhstan – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its concern with the recent escalation of violence and called on the parties to abide by the ceasefire agreement.[42]
  •  Latvia – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on both sides to stop the hostilities immediately and resume the ceasefire, expressing regret over casualties and deaths and conveying condolences to the families of those killed.[43]
  •  Norway – Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende called the clashes an "unacceptable military escalation".[44]
  •  Poland – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland called on parties of conflict to cease military operations in region and return to peace talks initiated in 1994. Poland called also to recognize territorial dispute by diplomatic and political negotiations including OSCE Minsk group mediation format.[45]
  •  Turkey – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev to pay condolences for the "martyred" soldiers.[46] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning what they claimed was an Armenian attack on civilians and calling on Armenia to comply with the ceasefire.[47] He also announced his country's support to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh border clashes, saying "Turkey backs the Azeris 'to the end' against Armenia".[48]

References

  1. ^ a b "Russia doesn't accuse Turkey of Karabakh escalation: Lavrov". PanARMENIAN.Net. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "18 Armenian, 12 Azerbaijani troops killed in fighting". 2 April 2016.
  3. ^ Armenia loses another 3 tanks, 30 servicemen - UPDATE (VIDEO)
  4. ^ Three Azerbaijani Tanks Destroyed in Morning Karabakh Battle - Armenian MoD
  5. ^ В Карабахе сбит армянский беспилотник. Haqqin.az
  6. ^ Aida Sultanova - AP (4 April 2016). "Azerbaijan says 3 killed in fighting with separatist region". Washington Post.
  7. ^ "200 Azerbaijani soldiers eliminated: NKR Defense Army". ARMENPRESS. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  8. ^ "NKR Defence Ministry's Statement". NKRmil.am.
  9. ^ "Минобороны Азербайджана: Перестрелка в Карабахе прекратилась". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Situation Report No. 1 (as of 03 Apr 2016)". ReliefWeb. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  11. ^ "(02/04/16 [10:25]) Press release". NKRmil.am. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Cəbhədə vəziyyətlə bağlı son məlumat" (in Azerbaijani). Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  13. ^ a b "В боях в зоне карабахского конфликта погибли 12 военнослужащих ВС Азербайджана" (in Russian). TASS. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Heavy Fighting Erupts in Nagorny-Karabakh". Georgia Today on the Web.
  15. ^ "Azerbaijan, Armenia forces clash as Putin urges ceasefire".
  16. ^ Эвакуированные жители сел Нагорного Карабаха обеспечены временным жильем. Caucasian Knot. 3 April 2016.
  17. ^ "Azerbaijani Soldiers Execute Elderly Armenian Couple in Artsakh; Then Cut Off Their Ears" (in Armenian). HETQ.am. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  18. ^ "Ադրբեջանական վայրագությունները Թալիշում. Hetq.am (18+) (ֆոտո)" (in Armenian). News.am. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  19. ^ "ՆԱԽԱԳԱՀԸ ՀԱՆԴԻՊՈՒՄ Է ՈՒՆԵՑԵԼ ԵԱՀԿ ԱՆԴԱՄ ԵՐԿՐՆԵՐԻ ԴԵՍՊԱՆՆԵՐԻ ՀԵՏ" (in Armenian). The Office to the President of the Republic of Armenia. Retrieved 4 April 2016. Իրենց տներում վայրագաբար սպանվել են տարեց մարդիկ` խաղաղ բնակիչներ, այդ թվում 92-ամյա բնակչուհի: [Elderly civilians, including 92-year-old resident, were brutally killed in their homes.]
  20. ^ "‘Large-Scale’ Fighting Reported In Karabakh." RFE/RL. April 2, 2016.
  21. ^ "Heavy Fighting Continues In Karabakh." RFE/RL. April 3, 2016.
  22. ^ "Минобороны Азербайджана: "Армяне не отбивали высоту у селения Талыш"". Haqqin.az.
  23. ^ "Azerbaijan claims cease fire in Nagorny-Karabakh, Armenia says hostilities continue". rt.com. 3 April 2016.
  24. ^ "Минобороны: Азербайджан в одностороннем порядке приостановил боевые действия" (in Russian). Haqqin.az. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  25. ^ "Так сегодня уничтожили армянских генералов и полковников" (in Russian). Haqqin.az. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  26. ^ "Mortar Shells from Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Hit Northeastern Iran". Tasnim. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  27. ^ "Top EU Diplomat Mogherini Calls for End to Fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh". Sputnik News. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  28. ^ "Генсек ООН призвал немедленно прекратить столкновения в Карабахе" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  29. ^ "PACE President calls for respect of cease fire in Nagorno-Karabakh". PACE. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  30. ^ "Nagorny Karabakh clashes continue despite Azerbaijan 'ceasefire'". The Citizen. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  31. ^ "CSTO Chief Blames Baku For Escalation In Karabakh". Azadutyun. 2 April 2016.
  32. ^ "OSCE Minsk Group Calls for Ending Hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh (VIDEO)". Sputnik News. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  33. ^ "OSCE Minsk Group to Discuss Nagorno-Karabakh Escalated Tensions on April 5". Sputnik International. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  34. ^ "United States Condemns Ceasefire Violations Along Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact". U.S. Department of State.
  35. ^ Nathan Hodge (3 April 2016). "U.S., Russia Call for Restraint After Outbreak of Fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh". WSJ.
  36. ^ "Yerevan is dissatisfied with Minsk's support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity". Vestnik Kavkaza. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  37. ^ "Yerevan bewildered over Belarus position on Karabakh conflict". Arka.am. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  38. ^ "Tbilisi Concerned Over Heavy Fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh". Civil Georgia. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  39. ^ "В Грузии выразили озабоченность в связи с обострением ситуации в Нагорном Карабахе". Rosbalt.
  40. ^ "Conflicting Reports on Number of Casualties in Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting". Haaretz.com.
  41. ^ "PressTV". Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  42. ^ "Казахстан призвал установить режим прекращения огня в Нагорном Карабахе" (in Russian). Vestnik Kavkaza. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  43. ^ "Riga Calls on Baku, Yerevan to Refrain From Conflict Escalation in Karabakh". Sputnik News. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  44. ^ "Глава МИД Норвегии призвал стороны к прекращению огня в Карабахе" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  45. ^ "Poland prioritizes stabilization of situation in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone". armenpress.am. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  46. ^ "Azerbaijan retakes land occupied by Armenia". Anadolu Agency.
  47. ^ "No: 82, 2 Nisan 2016, Temas Hattında ve Azerbaycan-Ermenistan Sınır Hattında Devam Eden Çatışmalar Hk". T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı.
  48. ^ "Nagorno-Karabakh clash: Turkey backs Azeris 'to the end' against Armenia - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
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