Armenian separatist forces in Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh surrendered and agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday, 24 hours after Baku initiated an offensive to regain control of its territory. The ceasefire, effective from 1 pm (0900 GMT) on Wednesday, entails the disbandment and disarmament of separatist forces, with talks on the future of the region and its ethnic Armenian population scheduled to commence on Thursday.
The separatists, who govern the self-proclaimed “Republic of Artsakh,” stated that they were compelled to accept Azerbaijan’s terms, conveyed by Russian peacekeepers, after Baku’s army breached their defenses and captured strategic locations while the international community remained inactive. In a statement, they announced, “The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accept the proposal from the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to cease fire.” Azerbaijan confirmed the reached ceasefire agreement.
This outcome seemingly paves the way for Azerbaijan to integrate approximately 120,000 ethnic Armenians into its society, a prospect that some Armenians express concerns about. Additionally, Azerbaijan will gain full control over the mountainous area that has been the focal point of two wars since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Armenia, despite Azerbaijani claims, asserts that it does not have any military forces in Karabakh and refrained from intervening militarily. Armenia accuses Baku of attempting to ethnically cleanse Karabakh, an allegation that Azerbaijan denies. The number of ethnic Armenians who will choose to remain in Karabakh or potentially seek refuge in Armenia remains uncertain.
Azerbaijan’s military operation, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries, faced strong criticism from the United States and certain European countries. They argue that the Karabakh issue should have been resolved through negotiations and that Baku’s actions have exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation on the ground.
On Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive, deploying troops and conducting artillery strikes in Karabakh, in an effort to forcefully bring the breakaway region under its control. This move heightened the risk of a new war with neighboring Armenia. Azerbaijan justified its actions as a response to a series of provocations and attacks by separatists from the blockaded mountainous region, which had lasted for nine months.
By Andrew Osborn in London and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Jon Boyle
