Azerbaijan says that it had launched ‘anti-terrorist operations’ in Nagorno-Karabakh

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan declared the commencement of “anti-terrorist operations” in Nagorno-Karabakh, nearly three years after their conflict with Armenia over this contested mountainous region. This announcement followed months of escalating tensions between the two Caucasus nations and came shortly after Baku reported the deaths of six Azerbaijanis due to mine explosions in Karabakh, holding Armenian separatists responsible.

The defense ministry in Baku stated that they had initiated “localized anti-terrorist measures” in the region and were employing “high precision weapons both on the front line and in-depth as part of the operations.”

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been entangled in a protracted conflict over Karabakh, engaging in wars in the 1990s and in 2020. Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway territory predominantly inhabited by Armenians, is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Baku pointed to “systematic shelling” of Azerbaijani positions by Armenian separatists in Karabakh, along with “persistent mining of our territories,” and alleged troop build-up by Yerevan. They claimed to have repeatedly cautioned against violations of a Russian-brokered ceasefire that ended the 2020 war, characterizing them as “a significant threat to peace and stability in the region.”

Baku’s objectives in these operations include quelling “large-scale provocations” in Karabakh, disarming and withdrawing Armenian armed forces from territories reclaimed in 2020, and ensuring the safety of the returning civilian population.

Earlier on the same day, Baku reported the deaths of four police officers and two civilians in mine explosions attributed to “Armenian separatist groups.” Reports indicated explosions in Stepanakert, the stronghold of Armenian separatists in the breakaway region.

Ruen Vardanyan, a former state minister of Karabakh, reported “mass shelling” in the area. Azerbaijan claimed to have informed both Russia and Turkey about its military activities in Karabakh.

In the six-week conflict of 2020, Azerbaijan regained control of portions of Karabakh, ultimately concluding with a Russian-brokered peace agreement. This recent development marks a resurgence of hostilities in a long-standing and complex geopolitical dispute.