Azerbaijan initiates a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian Foreign ministry stated that Armenia has requested the intervention of Russian peacekeeping troops in Nagorno-Karabakh to halt Baku’s “complete aggression.”

Since the conclusion of the 2020 war, Russian forces have remained in the contested area. Nevertheless, Armenia has recently accused Russia of being preoccupied with its conflict in Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan insisted that Armenian forces must completely withdraw from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region as a prerequisite for peace. Azerbaijan stated that this demand was made following the commencement of their “anti-terrorist operations.”

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry stated that the sole means to attain peace and stability in the area is through the absolute and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, along with the dismantling of the self-proclaimed Armenian separatist government.

The Defense Ministry of Armenia has refuted the presence of any personnel or equipment. in the breakaway region.

Azerbaijan has informed its Turkish partner about the “anti-terrorist” actions taking place in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which seeks independence.

The ministry released a statement stating that Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Zakir Gasanov, had a conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler, regarding the ongoing operations.

The Defense Ministry of Armenia declared on Tuesday that the situation along its border with Azerbaijan remained calm and unchanged.

The ministry stated that they do not have any military personnel or equipment present in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan has initiated operations that they claim are aimed at combating terrorism.

A separatist group in Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of initiating a significant military attack in the area.

“It has been reported that currently, the capital Stepanakert along with other urban areas and rural settlements are experiencing a significant level of bombardment,” stated the source.

Russia has urged all sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to respect previous cease-fire agreements, saying it was in contact with Azerbaijan over its “anti-terrorist operations” in the breakaway region.

“I cannot reword”

In 2020, Russia and Turkey facilitated a cease-fire to bring an end to the six-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh and have since been responsible for supervising a delicate peacekeeping operation in the region.

Moscow has long been seen as Armenia’s traditional protecting power, although the fellow Orthodox Christian nation is losing popularity among Armenians, while Ankara backs Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, with which it also has linguistic and cultural ties.

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan announced the initiation of an “anti-terrorist operation” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been a source of conflict with neighboring Armenia in the past.

The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan stated that they were employing “accurate weaponry on the frontline and beyond” as a component of the operation, which they described as having a “regional nature.”

The intention of the operation was to prevent significant provocations and remove what it claimed were Armenian soldiers.

Azerbaijan has advised civilians to avoid military establishments, as they have been communicating with Armenian inhabitants of the Karabakh area through various means such as text messages, loudspeakers, and information leaflets.

It added that it has established humanitarian corridors and reception stations in several places, including the Lachin road, to ensure the population is evacuated from danger zones.

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan reported that “illegal Armenian armed groups” were responsible for landmine explosions in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers and two civilian road workers.

Since the 2020 war, Baku has gained partial control over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is home to a significant number of ethnic Armenians.

rmt,fb/jcg (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)