16/09/2022
World is on the verge of witnessing another full scale war. After almost two years, deadly clashes erupted in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. Both side accused each other of violating the status quo. 13th September midnight, Azeri soldiers invaded around 10 km inside Armenian territory in Southern and Eastern part.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that 135 Armenian soldiers had been killed in the clashes, where Azeri President Ilham Aliyev confirmed the death of 71 Azeri soldiers. The Armenian Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijan had attacked Armenian positions near the cities of Vardenis, Goris, Sotk, and Jermuk with artillery and heavy weapons and that it had occupied certain areas of its territory, which were later confirmed by satellite images from NASA. The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said that Armenia had staged "large-scale provocations" near the Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin regions and that it had captured multiple strategic heights on the border region inside Armenia.
The problem draws its root from 1920s when Stalin conquered Caucasus. He placed Armenian dominated territory of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan. When USSR started to collapse, full scale war broke out over this dispute, First Nagorno-Karabakh War. Over 30,000 killed in Southern Caucasus. Armenian emerged victorious, gaining Nagorno-Karabakh and neighbouring areas, and established Republic of Artsakh.
In 2020, another full scale war broke out. Over 6,000 killed in six weeks deadly battle. This time Azerbaijan emerged victorious and regaining the control of Lachin, Kalbajar and other areas surrounding areas enclosing Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia mediated a cease fire and 2000 Russian troops deployed as peacekeepers in Artsakh.
This time also Putin has announced mediating a cease fire. European Union, USA have urged Azerbaijan to stop aggression. India also issued a statement and said the aggressor to stop the war, without mentioning any parties as aggressor.
It remains to be seen how things will shape in next few days.