Ceasefire

From the BBC:

“Nagorno-Karabakh forces agree Azerbaijan demand to disarm”

Twenty-four hours after Azerbaijan's army launched an offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, ethnic-Armenian forces have agreed Russian terms for a ceasefire. One of the key demands that Karabakh forces have accepted is a proposal for complete disarmament. Some 120,000 ethnic Armenians live in the South Caucasus enclave, recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan. Three years ago, Azerbaijan recaptured areas in and around Karabakh and on Tuesday demanded a full surrender.

Karabakh officials say at least 32 people have been killed and another 200 wounded since the Azerbaijani military launched what it called "anti-terror" operations. Azerbaijan's presidency said officials would meet Karabakh's Armenian representatives for talks on "issues of re-integration" in the Azerbaijani town of Yevlakh on Thursday. The town is some 100km (60 miles) north of Karabakh's regional capital, Khankendi, known as Stepanakert by Armenians.

Leaders in the enclave said in a statement that through mediation carried out by Russian peacekeepers an agreement had been reached on a complete cessation of hostilities from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). However, loud explosions could still be heard in the regional capital just after the ceasefire came into effect. Karabakh officials appealed to residents to remain in shelters and not try to leave.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia and its neighbour have fought two wars over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous, landlocked region in the south-west of Azerbaijan. The six-week war in 2020 led to several thousand deaths but enabled Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, to recapture territory surrounding and inside the enclave. For the past nine months, Azerbaijan has conducted an effective blockade of the only road into Karabakh from Armenia, known as the Lachin Corridor. Ethnic Armenians in the enclave complained of shortages of food, medicines and toiletries.

Some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers were supposed to monitor the ceasefire but Moscow's interest in Armenia has waned during its war in Ukraine, even though Armenia is part of Russia's CSTO military alliance. Last May Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was quoted as saying his country would be ready to recognise Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan in return for the security of the ethnic Armenian population. "The 86,600 sq km of Azerbaijan's territory includes Nagorno-Karabakh," he was quoted as saying, referring to Azerbaijan as a whole. Russia has also been annoyed by Mr Pashinyan's apparent pivot to the West. This week, dozens of Armenian soldiers have been conducting military exercises with the US military. The Kremlin has denied Armenian allegations that it did not do enough to help its ally. Although the terms of the ceasefire also speak of the withdrawal of Armenian forces, Yerevan has denied having any of its forces in the region. The truce also refers to the complete disarmament and disbanding of local Karabakh forces.

^ Hopefully the Ceasefire will hold. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66863702