Azerbaijan's Bold Offensive Takes Aim at Armenian Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh

On Tuesday, the defense ministry of Azerbaijan announced the initiation of an "anti-terrorist" operation in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Reports from Armenian media and local authorities indicate that the regional capital of Stepanakert has been heavily bombarded. Gegham Stepanyan, the Ombudsman in Nagorno-Karabakh, has confirmed that two civilians, including a child, have been killed, and 11 others have been injured due to shelling carried out by the Azerbaijani military.

Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave recognized globally as part of Azerbaijan, has been the catalyst for two conflicts between the neighboring countries within the last 30 years, with the most recent occurring in 2020.

Tensions have been escalating in the area for several months, following the blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijani forces in December. This blockade severed the only route linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, effectively blocking the importation of food to approximately 120,000 residents.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the defense ministry of Azerbaijan demanded the immediate withdrawal of ethnic Armenian troops and the dissolution of the government in Stepanakert. According to the ministry, the vital step towards ensuring peace and stability in the region is the unconditional and total withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, along with the dissolution of the alleged puppet regime.

The ministry stated that the Azerbaijan Army executed precise strikes to destroy long-term firing points and military installations belonging to the Armenian armed forces as part of their local anti-terrorist measures in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The ministry further asserted that their army had experienced constant shelling from Armenia's armed forces and that their objective was to neutralize the enemy's military infrastructure and ultimately reinstate the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"Furthermore, the ministry stated that it is solely targeting military installations deemed as legitimate. It highlighted that Armenia has reinforced its positions, increasing the combat readiness of its units, and has even deployed mines in areas that were previously cleared. The ministry also alleged that a mine explosion had occurred, resulting in the death of two civilians and damage to an Azerbaijani vehicle."

Armenia's foreign ministry dismissed assertions that the Armenian army was present in Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement, they clarified that Armenia's aid to Nagorno-Karabakh is purely humanitarian, citing the humanitarian crisis resulting from the unlawful blockade of the Lachin corridor.

According to the Armenian news agency Armenpress, the Nagorno-Karabakh army, which is separate from Armenia's armed forces, is fiercely opposing the Azerbaijani military's efforts to make progress. In response to the situation in Karabakh, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called for a meeting of the Armenian Security Council.

The Armenian defense ministry refuted Azerbaijani allegations of Armenian forces initiating gunfire on Azeri combat outposts through a post on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. According to Armenpress, a reputable Armenian news agency, the city of Stepanakert City experienced severe bombardment from Azerbaijani forces, leading to disruptions in mobile and internet connectivity.

The Foreign Ministry of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, echoed the report by stating that the Azerbaijani side has been consistently moving troops and accumulating a wide range of weapons. This has been coupled with extensive information and propaganda campaigns, all in preparation for a significant act of aggression against Artsakh.

CNN has not been able to independently confirm the allegations made by either party involved in the conflict.

People run as gunfire and explosions are heard in Stepanakert, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video.

Pashinyan recently mentioned that Azerbaijan has amassed military forces along the border with Armenia and the demarcation line of Nagorno-Karabakh, raising concerns about a potential escalation.

"In the past week, there has been a significant deterioration in the military-political situation in our region," stated Pashinyan. "Azerbaijan has been amassing troops along the Nagorno-Karabakh contact line and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border for several days, which is the reason behind this escalation."

The previous conflict, which resulted in a decisive defeat for the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh state supported by the Armenian government, lasted for 44 days. Russia, a longstanding ally of Armenia, played a role in resolving the war by facilitating a ceasefire, despite also strengthening ties with Azerbaijan recently.

The deal provided for around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to deploy to Nagorno-Karabakh to guard the Lachin corridor.

Azerbaijani servicemen stand guard at a checkpoint at the Lachin corridor, the Armenian-populated breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Tofik Babayev/AFP/Getty Images

'We are starving to death:' Residents of Nagorno-Karabakh fear for future under blockade

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was deeply alarmed by the sharp escalation in the region.

On Tuesday, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, called on the conflicting parties to halt the violence, cease hostilities, and pursue political and diplomatic solutions. She emphasized that the Russian peacekeeping contingent is actively engaged in fulfilling its responsibilities and is maintaining regular communication with both Armenian and Azerbaijani officials, with the intention of achieving a ceasefire and restoring adherence to the previously agreed-upon trilateral agreements.

This is a developing story. More to follow.