UPDATED – Azerbaijani forces launched operations in Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday, using “high-precision weapons on the front line and in depth”, according to Baku’s Ministry of Defence.
The Azerbaijani army alleges these operations come after the deaths of four Azerbaijani police officers and two civilians in mine blasts in Nagorno-Karabakh, blaming “Armenian separatists” for the escalation.
Zartonk Media has reported that the ongoing large-scale attack by Azerbaijan has resulted in tragic consequences for the civilian population in Artsakh. According to the media outlet, two civilians have been killed, including a child, and 23 others have been injured as Azerbaijan continues its military assault using drones, missiles, and artillery.
The operations follow a blockade imposed on approximately 120,000 ethnic Armenians in the region since 12 December last year, which has led to warnings of a potential genocide.
The blockade restricts movement along the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Even the International Committee of the Red Cross was denied entry into the region by Azerbaijani authorities on 15 June. The unfolding crisis not only poses a direct threat to the Armenians but also challenges international law and multilateralism, experts warn.
France has called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the situation. In an official statement, France condemned Azerbaijan’s actions and the use of weapons against populated areas. It also criticised the illegal blockade that has been ongoing for several months and held Azerbaijan solely responsible for the fate of the civilian population in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the European Union condemned the military escalation along the Line of Contact and in other locations in Karabakh, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The EU deplored the loss of lives due to the escalation and urged a return to dialogue between Baku and Karabakh Armenians. The statement emphasised that the current military activities should not be used as a pretext to force the exodus of the local population and called for a conducive environment for peace and normalisation talks.
