L’Azerbaïdjan a initié une attaque militaire dans la région du Haut-Karabakh, tandis que l’Arménie condamne cette action en tant qu'”agression majeure”.
On Tuesday, September 19, Azerbaijan announced that it had launched a military operation described as “anti-terrorist” against the “Armenian forces” in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Explosions were heard by a journalist from Agence France-Presse in the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert. The defender of human rights in the separatist region, Gegham Stepanyan, reported a provisional toll of two civilians killed and twenty-three injured.
The Armenian separatist authorities have confirmed a large-scale military operation against the Republic of Artsakh [the name given by Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh]. Stepanakert, along with other cities in the region, are being targeted by intense gunfire, added the separatist representation in Armenia on Facebook. A few hours after the operation was launched, the Karabakh authorities called on Azerbaijan to immediately cease fire and come to the negotiating table, tweeted the foreign affairs ministry of the separatist territory.
“I cannot reword”
“I cannot reword”
« Fausses déclarations »
The separatist forces of Haut-Karabakh have stated that they are trying to “resist” the advancing Azerbaijani army in the enclave. They have stated on X (formerly Twitter) that “the defense forces continue to resist Azerbaijan’s offensive along the entire contact line.”
The authorities in Baku have stated that they believe peace is possible, on the condition of a “total” Armenian withdrawal. The Azerbaijani diplomacy declared in a statement that the only way to achieve peace is through the unconditional and complete withdrawal of Armenian armed forces and the dissolution of the so-called separatist regime. Azerbaijan, urging the Armenians in Karabakh to “surrender their weapons,” later offered them talks in the Azerbaijani city of Ievlakh. On the other hand, the Armenian Ministry of Defense assured that they do not have any armed forces deployed in the region and condemned Baku’s “false statements.”
La Russie a appelé l’Azerbaïdjan et l’Arménie à « mettre fin à l’effusion de sang » dans le Haut-Karabakh et à retourner à « un règlement pacifique ». « Toutes les étapes d’une solution pacifique sont énoncées dans les accords signés en 2020 et 2022 », a ajouté la porte-parole de la diplomatie russe, Maria Zakharova.
On Tuesday, France strongly condemned the military operation launched by Azerbaijan in the Haut-Karabakh region and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Catherine Colonna reacted by stating that this operation is illegal, unjustifiable, and unacceptable. She emphasized that Azerbaijan is held responsible for the fate of the Armenians in the Haut-Karabakh region.
“I cannot reword”
“I cannot reword”
Le Haut-Karabakh, théâtre de deux guerres au début des années 1990, puis en 2020
In the night from Monday to Tuesday, Azerbaijani authorities had reported the death of four policemen and two Azerbaijani civilians in a mine explosion in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. They had accused a group of Armenian separatist “saboteurs” of committing these acts of “terrorism”.
At the beginning of August, Armenia had requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UN) due to the worsening humanitarian situation in the region. The Lachin corridor, the only land link between Armenia and Karabakh, was initially obstructed by Azerbaijanis posing as environmental protesters before Baku established a roadblock on July 11, citing security reasons.
During the UN Security Council meeting held on August 16, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States urged Baku to ensure free movement on the Lachin road, but no statement or resolution was voted on at the end of the meeting – a partial failure for the Armenians. The Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region with a majority Armenian population located in Azerbaijan, witnessed two wars in the early 1990s and then in the autumn of 2020. It is one of the most heavily mined areas in the former USSR, with regular casualties caused by explosions.
