2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh

Between 19 and 20 September 2023,Azerbaijanlaunched a large-scale military offensive against theself-declaredbreakaway state ofArtsakh, a move seen as a violation of theceasefire agreementsigned in the aftermath of theSecond Nagorno-Karabakh Warin 2020.The offensive took place in the disputed region ofNagorno-Karabakh, which isde jurea part of Azerbaijan, and was ade factoindependent republic. The stated goal of the offensive was the complete disarmament andunconditional surrenderof Artsakh, as well as the withdrawal of all ethnic Armenian soldiers present in the region.The offensive occurred in the midst of an escalating crisis caused byAzerbaijani Armed Forcesblockading Artsakh, which has resulted in significant scarcities of essential supplies such as food, medicine, and other goods in the affected region.
One day after the offensive started on 20 September, aceasefire agreementdescribed as a written agreement for thesurrenderof Artsakh was reached at the mediation of theRussian peacekeeping contingentwhere it was agreed that theArtsakh Defence Armywould be disarmed.Ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan were nonetheless reported by both Artsakhi residents and officials until early October.On 28 September, the president of Artsakh,Samvel Shahramanyansigned a decree to dissolve all state institutions by 1 January 2024, bringing the existence of the breakaway state to an end.
The offensive and subsequent surrender resulted in aflight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, in which nearly the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled the region for neighboring countries, primarilyArmenia.Human rights organizations and experts in genocide prevention issued multiple alertsthat the region's Armenian population was at risk or actively being subjected to ethnic cleansing and genocide,as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity.Luis Moreno Ocampo, the inaugural prosecutor of theInternational Criminal Court, has classified the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians as a secondArmenian genocide, and opined that the inaction of the international community encouraged Azerbaijan to act with impunity.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is anethnicandterritorial conflictbetweenArmeniaandAzerbaijanover the region ofNagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnicArmeniansuntil the offensive.The Nagorno-Karabakh region was once entirely claimed by, and partiallyde factocontrolled by thebreakawayRepublic of Artsakh,but is recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan.
The conflict escalated in 1988, when theKarabakh Armenians demanded the transfer of the regionfromSoviet AzerbaijantoSoviet Armenia, triggering theFirst Nagorno-Karabakh Warthat ended in 1994 with Azerbaijan losing control of about 13.6% of its territory,including Nagorno-Karabakh, to Karabakh Armenians and thearmy of Armenia. In 1993, theUnited Nations Security Counciladoptedfour resolutionsthat supported theterritorial integrityof Azerbaijan and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the occupying Armenian forces from Azerbaijan, which was reaffirmed by the 2008United Nations General Assembly Resolution 62/243.
In late 2020, the large-scaleSecond Nagorno-Karabakh Warresulted in thousands of casualties and a significant Azerbaijani victory. An armistice was established by a tripartiteceasefire agreementon 10 November, resulting in Armenia and Artsakh ceding the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh as well as one-third of Nagorno-Karabakh itself to AzerbaijanCeasefire violations in Nagorno-Karabakhandon the Armenian–Azerbaijani borderoccurred following the 2020 war, leading to several casualties.
Subsequent to the 2020 war, Azerbaijan rescinded its offer of granting special status and autonomy to its ethnic Armenian residents and insisted on their "integration" into Azerbaijan.Some international mediators and human rights organizations have advocated forself-determinationfor the local Armenian populationand do not believe that Artsakh Armenians can live safely under Azerbaijani PresidentIlham Aliyev,whose leadership has been described as dynastic andauthoritarian.
In December 2022, Azerbaijan beganblockading the Republic of Artsakhfrom the outside world, in violation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement and international legal rulings.The Azerbaijiani governmentseized territory around the Lachin corridor both within Artsakh and Armenia, blocked alternative bypass routes, and installed a military checkpoint.Azerbaijan also sabotaged critical civilian infrastructure of Artsakh, including gas, electricity, and internet access.
The blockade created ahumanitarian crisisfor the population of Artsakh. Imports of essential goods, including humanitarian convoys of theRed Crossand theRussian peacekeeperswere blocked. 120,000 residents of the region were trapped.There were widespread shortages of essential goods, including electricity, fuel, and water reserves, and emergency reserves were rationed, alongside massive unemployment, and closures of schools and public transportation.
Azerbaijan claimed its actions were aimed at preventing the transportation of weapons and natural resources.It also said its goal was for Artsakh to "integrate" into Azerbaijan, despite opposition from the population, and threatened military action if theArtsakh governmentdid not disband.The spokesperson forCharles Michel,President of the European Councilcalled for the "irreversible normalization" of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and "courageous compromise solutions".
Numerous countries, international organizations, and human rights observers condemned Azerbaijan's blockade and considered it to be a form ofhybrid warfare,ethnic cleansing,andgenocide.Multiple international observers also considered the blockade and the inaction of the Russian peacekeepers to be violations of the tripartite2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreementsigned between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia, which ended theSecond Nagorno-Karabakh Warand guaranteed safe passage for Armenia through theLachin corridor.Azerbaijan and Russia ignored calls from various countries and international organizations to restore freedom of movement to Armenia through the corridor.
Two weeks before the clashes, theLemkinInstitute forGenocide Preventionissued a report stating that there was "alarming evidence that President [Ilham] Aliyev may be planning a military assault on Artsakh in the very near future." The report noted that Aliyev had recently signed a new decree ordering all eligible citizens 18 years of age or older to report for military service between 1 and 31 October 2023. The Lemkin Institute also warned that a "military assault on Artsakh could lead to the mass murder stage ofgenocide. It would almost assuredly result in the forced displacement ofArmeniansfrom Artsakh and the widespread commission of genocidal atrocities...[and]...Artsakh's Armenians would lose their distinct identity as Artsakhsis, an identity thathas been forged through centuries—millennia—of independent cultural flourishing in their mountains and valleys."
On 19 September 2023, in violation of the2020 ceasefire,Azerbaijanlaunched a large-scale offensive againstRepublic of Artsakh. TheAzerbaijan Ministry of Defenseclaimed to be undertaking "local anti-terrorist activities" and citedland minesallegedly planted by Armenians killing two Azerbaijani civilians and four police officers as a pretext for the offensive.The ministry demanded the disarmament and withdrawal of all ethnic Armenian soldiers, as well as theunconditional surrenderand dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh.The statement from the ministry claimed that theRussian peacekeepingcontingent andthe joint Russian-Turkish Monitoring Centrewere informed about the operation.Russia denied this claim, stating that its peacekeepers were only informed of the offensive a "few minutes" before it started.
Azerbaijan claimed that no civilian targets were attacked with weaponry, but witnesses reported strikes conducted in close proximity to large cities and densely populated areas.The attacks occurred in the midst of Azerbaijan's ongoing blockade of the region.Azerbaijan said that it had set up "humanitarian corridorsand reception points on theLachin roadand in other directions" which would "ensure the evacuation of the population from the dangerous area".These announcements were disseminated through text messages, leaflets, and social media, triggering fears ofethnic cleansingamongst the residents.Artsakhi authorities warned its residents that "the Azerbaijani propaganda machine uses large-scale information and psychological influence measures."TheCyber Security Service of Azerbaijan[az]temporarilyrestricted accesstoTikTokin Azerbaijan.
Late in the afternoon, Nagorno-Karabakh's leadership offered to negotiate with Azerbaijan after it launched its military offensive and called on Azerbaijan to "immediately cease the hostilities and sit down at the negotiation table with the aim of settling the situation". ThePresidential Administration of Azerbaijanresponded that it was ready to meet with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in the Azerbaijani town ofYevlakh.It stressed at the same time that the Azerbaijani offensive would continue unless Artsakh disband its government bodies and armed forces.The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry later stated that its forces had captured more than 60 military posts and destroyed up to 20 military vehicles.The Armenian dailyAzgreported claims that Azerbaijan had captured the villages ofCharektarandGetavan.TheProsecutor General's Office of Azerbaijanclaimed that Armenian forces attackedShushawith large-caliber weapons, killing one civilian.
Artsakh authorities stated that the state's de facto capital,Stepanakert, and other cities were being heavily shelled, accusing Azerbaijan of attempted ethnic cleansing.Artsakh'shuman rightsombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said two civilians, including a child, were killed,while 11 others were injured,eight of whom were children.By the end of the day, Artsakh reported that 27 people had been killed and more than 200 were injured.
Artsakh authorities reported that they had evacuated over 7,000 people from 16 rural settlements,while Russian peacekeepers evacuated 5,000 others.Russian Foreign MinistryspokespersonMaria Zakharovastated that Russian food and medicine arrived in Artsakh via the Lachin and Agdam routes.
Armenian sources reported that Aznavur Saghyan, the mayor ofMartuni, was killedby an Azerbaijani sniper.It was also reported that theAmaras MonasterynearSoshad fallen under Azerbaijani control.Azgreported that Azerbaijani forces had captured the settlements ofDrmbonandHarav;later that day,Chankatagh,Chapar,Karmir Shuka,Khachmach,Machkalashen,Sarushen,ShoshandVaghuhaswere also reported to have been captured.Furthermore, the Armenian dailyAravotreported that the Kashen mine,one of the biggest sources of tax revenue for the Artsakhi government,had fallen under Azerbaijani control.Artsakhi presidentSamvel Shahramanyansaid "Nagorno-Karabakhwill have to take relevant steps to ensure physical security of population".
Artsakhi authorities agreed to a proposal byRussian peacekeeping forcesto establish a ceasefire from 13:00 on 20 September.Under the terms of the agreement, the government of theRepublic of Artsakhagreed to disarm and to enter into talks with the government ofAzerbaijanregarding the reintegration of the territory.Among the Azerbaijani demands was a requirement for Artsakh andArmeniato surrender a list of individuals to Azerbaijan for prosecution and trial, including former and current Artsakhi civilian and military leaders.Large masses ofArmeniancivilians began fleeing Artsakh after the ceasefire announcement, with many of them gathering atStepanakert Airport.Later,Nikol Pashinyancommented on this that "it is obvious to me that this is being done to cause internal political upheavals and chaos".The Armenian government said it was not involved in the drafting of the ceasefire agreement, while Azerbaijani presidential envoyElchin Amirbeyov[az;fr;ru]said that Russian peacekeepers helped facilitate the ceasefire.
ColonelAnar Eyvazov[az], Spokesperson for theAzerbaijani Defense Ministry, announced that during the operation, Azerbaijan had captured 90 combat positions. He also said that Azerbaijani forces had captured seven combat vehicles, one tank, four mortars and two infantry fighting vehicles from Armenian military units as trophies.
Shelling of Stepanakert continued until the city's electrical grid was knocked out several hours after the ceasefire was supposed to go into effect.According to a statement from theRussian Ministry of Defense, several peacekeepers were killed near the village ofChankataghinTartar Districtafter their vehiclewas attacked[ru]while they were returning from an observation post.Azerbaijani officialElin Suleymanovadmitted that Azeri forces had killed the peacekeepers, calling it an accident, expressed condolences to Russia, and vowed to launch a probe into what happened.Among those killed was Captain First Rank Ivan Kovgan, the deputy commander of Russia'sNorthern Fleet submarine forces,and a concurrent deputy commander of the peacekeeping force.With Azerbaijani cooperation, Russian peacekeepers detained suspects, and an Azerbaijani commander was suspended.PresidentIlham Aliyevsubsequently apologized over phone to Russian PresidentVladimir Putinfor the incident.According to theProsecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan, a group of military personnel of the Azerbaijan army opened fire on a car with Russian peacekeepers, mistaken believing they were Armenian forces due to the difficult terrain and foggy-rainy weather conditions. As a result, five peacekeepers were killed.
Armenia accused Azerbaijan of firing at its soldiers in the border town ofSotk, which Azerbaijan denied.
In a televised address that evening, President Aliyev reiterated that "Karabakh is Azerbaijan", adding that his "iron fist" had consigned the idea of Karabakh being a separate Armenian state to history.
After the fighting ended on 21 September, Azerbaijan opened the border for the first time in months to allow people to leave, and tens of thousands of Armenians began to flee out of the Lachin corridor as part of a large flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. On 24 September, Azerbaijan opened theLachin corridorfor residents of Nagorno-Karabakh to travel one-way to Armenia despite its ongoingblockade.A mass evacuation of ethnic Armenian civilians from the region then started, fearing persecution andethnic cleansingif they remain.The first group of refugees arrived in Armenia through the border post atKornidzor.By the end of the day, the Armenian government said 1,050 refugees had arrived in the country.
The last scheduled evacuation bus out of Nagorno-Karabakh left on 2 October carrying 15 refugees.On the same day, the Artsakhi government said that some officials would stay on until search operations for people killed and missing were completed. Journalists who visited Stepanakert said the city was virtually abandoned except for a few residents, Azerbaijani police officers and Russian peacekeepers. They also added that Azerbaijani telecommunications firms and signals were already present in the city.A United Nations report released the same day found that there were between 50 and 1,000 ethnic Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh.The Armenian government said the number of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh had reached 100,617 on 3 October,nearly the entire current population of Nagorno-Karabakh.A total of 21,043 vehicles were recorded to have crossed the Hakari Bridge going to Armenia in the week since the exodus began.
The government of Artsakh said that families left homeless due to Azerbaijan's military offensive and who expressed a desire to leave Artsakh will be transferred to Armenia, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers. It was reported that 23 ambulances, accompanied by specialists and the Red Cross, were transporting 23 severely injured people from Artsakh to Armenia.In Armenia, the theatre in the city ofGoriswas converted into a base for the Red Cross to accommodate refugees.A secondary hub was later opened inVayk.Armenian Health MinisterAnahit Avanesiansaid some refugees died in transit due to exhaustion brought about by malnutrition, the lack of medicines and the travel time which took up to 40 hours.The Armenian government promised a one-off payment to each refugee of 100,000 drams and provide a monthly subsidy of 50,000 drams for at least six months, adding that it had so far managed to provided temporary accommodation for 53,000 refugees.
During the movement of refugees, at least 170 people were killedand more than 290 people were injured afteran explosionat a fuel storage facility inBerkadzor, 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from Stepanakert on 25 September. Most of the victims were queueing to obtain fuel for their vehicles while on their way to Armenia.Victims with various degrees of burns were treated in the Republican Medical Center of Artsakh, facilities of the Arevik community organization, medical facilities in Ivanyan, and the medical station of Russian peacekeepers.ThePresidential Administration of Azerbaijansaid it sent an ambulance carrying medical supplies.142 of the injured were later brought to Armenia.
Azerbaijani forces were reported to be screening refugees fleeing to Armenia as part of its search for "war criminals" in border checkpoints.TheAzerbaijani State Border Servicedetained several Artsakhi officials in the Lachin corridor while attempting to cross into Armenia, including former army commander anddefence ministerLevon Mnatsakanyan,former deputy army commander Davit Manukyan,and Russian-Armenian billionaireRuben Vardanyan, who was the formerstate minister.Formerforeign ministerDavid Babayansurrendered to Azerbaijani authorities in Shusha.Azerbaijani presidential adviserHikmat Hajiyevlater confirmed that up to six people had been arrested on charges of committing "war crimes".
On 1 October, Azerbaijani Prosecutor-GeneralKamran Aliyevissued arrest warrants against former Artsakhi PresidentArayik Harutyunyanand military commanderJalal Harutyunyanover their role in the2020 Ganja missile attacksduring the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War,adding that 300 other separatist officials were under investigation for alleged war crimes.
On 3 October, theState Security Service of Azerbaijandetained formerpresidentsArkadi Ghukasyan,Bako Sahakyanand Arayik Harutyunyan,as well asPresident of the National AssemblyDavit Ishkhanyan.
On 21 September, negotiations between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan took place inYevlakhto discuss security, rights and "issues of re-integration".The Artsakhi delegation consisted of Sergey Martirosyan andDavit Melkumyan[hy], and was escorted byRussian peacekeepers. The Azerbaijani delegation consisted ofRamin Mammadov, Bashir Hajiyev and Ilkin Sultanov.The head of theJoint Russian-Turkish Monitoring Center, Oleg Semyonov, was also present.The talks, which lasted two hours, ended without a formal agreement, however a statement from the Azerbaijani government said that they were "constructive and positive" and that further negotiations would continue in October.According to the Artsakhi delegation, the negotiations stalled due to a "whole host of questions", but specifically when they requested security guarantees that the Azerbaijani government would not force ethnic Armenians toleavetheNagorno-Karabakhregion, however, both sides agreed on the cessation of military action.Azerbaijan agreed to send food and fuel supplies to the region.
On 22 September,Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani presidentIlham Aliyev, stated that his government would ensure that civilians can travel safely in their own vehicles on roads that connectNagorno-KarabakhtoArmenia.He also suggested that anamnestywould be offered to former combatants who agree to disarm. Some ethnicArmenianarmed groups vowed to continue fighting.Rumors spread on some Internet news publications that these included former colonelKaren Jalavyanand his subordinates. A journalist fromHraparakcontacted Jalavyan and asked him if the rumors were true, but he did not answer the question directly. Noticeably upset, he stated that "the entire nation has washed its hands from the people of Karabakh" and told Pashinyan to "go defend Artsakh".
The second day of negotiations also ended in deadlock despite the amnesty offer to Artsakhi commanders and fighters as the Artsakhi delegation stated the questions of humanitarian aid, security guarantees, and a promise from the Azerbaijani delegation to not drive Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh were unresolved.According to Armenian journalistTatul Hakobyan, a meeting between the head ofState Security Service of Azerbaijan,Ali Naghiyev, and Artsakh's presidentSamvel Shahramanyantook place in Shusha.
Elements of the Artsakh defense force began transferring their weapons to Russian peacekeepers,with the Russian defence ministry confirming the turnover of six armored vehicles, more than 800 small arms units and 5,000 rounds of ammunition.The memorial tank monument, arestored T-72 tank of Gagik Avsharyancommemorating thecapture of Shushaand located on Shusha road, was reportedly dismantled by Azerbaijan.Additionally, a convoy of 15 trucks from the Russian peacekeepers left Armenia for Nagorno-Karabakh, crossing the Lachin corridor.More than 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid was delivered to Nagorno-Karabakh by Russian peacekeepers, according to the Russian defence ministry.On 24 September, the town ofMartakertwas reported to have come under Azerbaijani military control.
A second round of negotiations between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijan took place inKhojaly, where according to Azerbaijan, humanitarian issues were discussed.The two sides agreed to a third meeting taking place in a few days time.
On 26 September, Azerbaijani forces reportedly took control ofMartuni (Khojavend).
On 28 September, Artsakh presidentSamvel Shahramanyansigned a decree stating that all state institutions would be dissolved by 1 January 2024, bringing the existence of the breakaway republic to an end.However, on 22 December, Shahramanyan, who was by then in exile in the Armenian capitalYerevan, said that there was "no document... of the Republic of Artsakh (Karabakh) stipulating the dissolution of government institutions," while his office said that the decree issued in September was "empty paper," adding that "no document can lead to the dissolution of the republic, which was established by people's will."
Azerbaijani media reported on 29 September that a third meeting between representatives of the Karabakh Armenian community and officials from the government of Azerbaijan took place inYevlakh.Azerbaijani police vehicles were seen in Stepanakertand officials placed theAzerbaijani flagon the city'sWe Are Our Mountainsmonument.
A fourth round of talks was held in Stepanakert on 2 October, during which Azerbaijani authorities outlined their plans for the "reintegration" of the region.
On 3 October, Azerbaijani officials were reported to have reissued a 2021 map of Stepanakert renaming one of its streets afterEnver Pasha, one of the main perpetrators of theArmenian genocide.When approached for comment, the State Service on Property Issues of theMinistry of Economy of Azerbaijanand theState Committee on Urban Planning and Architectureof Azerbaijan stated they were unaware of any street renaming initiated by Azerbaijani authorities in Stepanakert.
On 15 October, President Ilham Aliyev visited Stepanakert and raised theAzerbaijani flag.A video was also released showing him stepping on anArtsakhi flagplaced on the floor in the building that housed the former government.
The Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs stated on 21 September that the Azerbaijani military violated the ceasefire and continued to shell Stepanakert "with different types of small arms".Rheinische Postreported ceasefire violations by Azerbaijani forces and gunfire in Stepanakert, according to residents.It was reported that electricity in Artsakh cannot be supplied because a number of substations that feed the electrical grid were under Azerbaijani control, with "Artsakhenergo" CJSC carrying out restoration works in Stepanakert.Russia recorded two instances of ceasefire violations inShusha Districtand three other instances inMardakert District.Artak Beglaryan[hy], former Artsakhi Minister of State, reported thatKarkijahan, a suburb of Stepanakert, was "empty" following a ceasefire violation. Many residents took refuge in Stepanakert itself.He stated that Azerbaijani troops entered several houses in the neighborhood.To avoid further tensions, Russian peacekeepers were deployed in the outskirts of Stepanakert, including in Karkijahan.Artsakhi armed forces were also deployed to the area.
On 22 September,Artsakhi governmentspokesperson Armine Hayrapetyan toldAgence-France Pressethat Azerbaijani forces had positioned themselves around Stepanakert, prompting residents to hide in basements for fear of killings. She also added that since the Azerbaijani offensive, Stepanakert and other parts of Nagorno-Karabakh have lost most basic services such as electricity, gas, food, fuel, internet and telephone connections.
On 23 September, the Russian Ministry of Defense said one ceasefire violation was recorded in the Mardakert region, which resulted in one Azerbaijani soldier being injured following a shootout.
On 24 September, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry claimed that two of its soldiers were killed after their truck hit a landmine.
On 30 September, Azerbaijan claimed that one of its soldiers was killed by an Armenian army sniper inAşağı Ayrım,Kalbajar District, which Armenia immediately denied.
On 2 October, Armenia accused Azerbaijani forces of opening fire on a vehicle delivering food to military outposts around the village ofKut,killing a soldier and injuring two others. On the same day, the Russian Defence Ministry said that a joint Russian-Azerbaijani patrol in Stepanakert was shot at by an unidentified sniper without causing any injury.
On 5 October, Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of firing at military targets on each other's territory.
On 22 September, Azerbaijan said it had sent two 20-tonne trucks with food and hygiene products and well as two trucks with bread to Nagorno-Karabakh fromAghdam.
For the first time since the Azerbaijani offensive, aRed Crossaid convoy was spotted at the Armenia–Azerbaijan border heading for Nagorno-Karabakh on 23 September.The Red Cross later evacuated 17 people who were injured during the clashes.In a separate delivery, Russia sent 50 tons of aid to Stepanakert.
On 28 September,USAIDsent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region to help coordinate the U.S. humanitarian response.
Other countries and international organizations that have provided humanitarian assistance to civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh and to ethnic Armenians that have fled the region include Argentina,Australia,Canada,the Czech Republic,Denmark,the European Union,France,Greece,Hungary,Japan,Iran,Italy,Norway,Poland,Spain,Sweden,Switzerland,and the United Kingdom.Cyprusoffered to shelter some of the displaced Armenians who have fled the region.
At a meeting of theUnited Nations Security Council, Armenia proposed that a United Nations peacekeeping mission should be deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the establishment of an international mechanism for dialogue between the Azerbaijan and representatives of the ethnic Armenian community in the region.
On 26 September, a meeting betweenArmen Grigoryan, head of Armenia's Security Council and Hikmat Hajiyev, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan, was hosted by theEuropean UnioninBrussels. At the meeting the EU emphasized the need for access for humanitarian and human rights organizations into Nagorno-Karabakh. It also wanted more details about the Azerbaijani government's plans for the future of Karabakh Armenians in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan outlined its plans to provide humanitarian assistance and security to the local population in the region.On the same day,United States Secretary of StateAntony Blinkenspoke with President Aliyev by telephone and urged him to refrain from further hostilities and to allow an international observer mission into Nagorno-Karabakh.German foreign ministerAnnalena Baerbockalso urged that independent observers be allowed into the region.Russia insisted that any international observer mission in the region can only happen with permission from the government of Azerbaijan.
On 27 September, US State Department spokespersonMatthew Millerannounced the government of Azerbaijan had given assurances that it would welcome an international monitoring mission to the region and that the United States and its allies would discuss the composition and mandate of such a mission in the coming days.
Azerbaijan announced on 29 September that it would facilitate a visit byUnited Nationsobservers to the region "in the coming days".The UN later confirmed that it would send a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time in 30 years to address humanitarian needs. On the same day, Armenia formally requested theInternational Court of Justiceto order Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops from civilian areas of Nagorno-Karabakh to ensure safe access by UN personnel.It later petitioned the court to impose 10 "provisional measures" aimed at protecting the rights of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and prevent Azerbaijan's "ethnic cleansing" of the region from becoming irreversible.On 17 November, the court ruled that Azerbaijan had an obligation to allow the return of residents who fled following the offensive and protect those who had stayed behind.
The United Nations in Azerbaijan, led by the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Vladanka Andreeva, sent a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to address humanitarian needs on 1 October. While visiting Stepanakert, the team claimed to have found no evidence of damage to public infrastructure in the areas it visited. The mission saw that the Azerbaijani government was preparing for the resumption of health services and some utilities.The mission reportedly "was struck by the sudden manner in which the local population left their homes". It was reported to the team that between 50 and 1,000 ethnic Armenians remain in the region. It encountered no civilian vehicles on the Lachin road to the border crossing used by the refugees. The mission also had limited access to rural areas.The mission was criticized for failing to mention the numerous casualties and injuries among Armenian civilians, the targeting of civilian infrastructure by Azerbaijan, andblockade of Nagorno-Karabakhby Azerbaijan over the previous nine months along with the humanitarian crisis it caused.The delegation returned to the region on 9 October.
On 4 January 2024, the US State Department placed Azerbaijan on its watchlist on religious freedom, following a recommendation by theUS Commission on International Religious Freedomover concerns for the preservation of Christian religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh following the Azerbaijani takeover and government oversight in religious activities.
On 7 December, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to hold a prisoner exchange and move towards normalising relations, stating in a joint statement their agreement to seize "a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region".The exchange was conducted on 13 December, with two Azerbaijani soldiers being released in return for 32 Armenian soldiers.
Several countries have offered themselves to become a mediator between both sides in their peace talks and normalisation efforts, such as Georgia, Iran, the European Union and the United States.Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev have met several times for talks mediated by the EU, but progress towards normalisation stalled when Aliyev refused to attend French-mediated talks in Spain on October and U.S.-mediated talks in Washington D.C. on November, claiming both mediators had a "biased" position.
Iran hosted talks between the foreign ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Tehran on October, with Turkey and Russia also participating. Georgia was invited to the talks but refused to attend. Iranian presidentEbrahim Raisiemphasized Iran's rejection of "interference by Western powers in the Caucasus," signifying the country's discontent with U.S.- and EU–mediated talks.
Human rights organizations andexperts in genocide preventionissued alerts stating that the ethnic Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh was at risk ofgenocide,while others stated that Azerbaijan was already carrying out such actions.The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention states "There is no doubt in the minds of experts in genocide prevention – at the Lemkin Institute, but also atGenocide Watch, theInternational Association of Genocide Scholars, and among legal experts such as former ICC chief prosecutorLuis Moreno Ocampo– that what Armenians are facing from Azerbaijan is genocide."Experts in genocide prevention have stated that Azerbaijan's ongoing blockade of Artsakh and sabotage of public infrastructure constitutes genocide under Article II, (c) of theGenocide Convention, "Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction". There are various indicators that Azerbaijan possessesgenocidal intent: PresidentAliyev's public statements, his regime'sopenly Armenophobic practicesand noncompliance with theInternational Court of Justiceorders to end the blockade.
Christian Solidarity Internationalemphasized that the "United Stateshas had ample notice of the forced deportation that is now unfolding in Nagorno Karabakh, starting with Genocide Watch Emergency Alerts in 2020, 2021, 2022, and a Genocide Warning issued by the Save Karabakh Coalition in December 2022. These warnings were followed by two Genocide Emergency Alerts issued by Genocide Watch in 2023, and a declaration of genocide by the first ChiefProsecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo."Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow atCarnegie Europe, commented on Azerbaijan's ongoing nine-month long blockade of the region: "Armenians fear that this is a prelude to an Azerbaijani attempt to fully drive them all out of their homeland."
Kavita Belani,United Nations Refugee AgencyRepresentative in Armenia, who spoke with Karabakh Armenians in Armenia, stated on 29 September 2023 that "there were no recorded incidents or cases of mistreatment against people on the move".A UN mission that visited Nagorno-Karabakh on 1 October 2023 reported that "they did not come across any reports — either from the local population or from others — of violence against civilians following the latest ceasefire."
Lawyer Anoush Baghdassarian was onsite inGoristo interview Armenian refugees and document possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.On 19 October 2023,Anahit Manasyan, theHuman Rights Defender of Armenia, announced that the bodies of numerous Armenian civilians massacred in Nagorno-Karabakh had been transported to Armenia. Manasyan stated that the bodies showed signs of torture and included women and children.
In August 2023, Armenian diplomatAra Papianreported that Azerbaijan was building aconcentration campintended for 30,000 Armenian males. The newspaperHraparakreported the same information a month later, citing an anonymous military source. In January 2024,New Linesinvestigated these reports usingPlanet Labssatellite imagery and discovered a large and unfinished complex in a remote area of theAghdam Districtthat had been recently built. Satellite records showed construction of the site had begun in July 2022 and ended in late August or early September 2023. Applyingspatial analysismethods, several similarities between the site and known prison structures were identified, andNew Linesconcluded the facility was likely intended to be prison.New Linesalso suggested the location of the site was chosen for its close proximity toTigranakert of Artsakh, ruins of a 2,000-year-old Armenian city, as a form of psychological trauma.
Armenian Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyanreiterated that the situation in the Armenia-Azerbaijan border was stable and said that Azerbaijan was trying toethnically cleansethe region.Pashinyan also said that Azerbaijan's motivation for the attack was to draw Armenia into a military confrontation.Following the ceasefire on 20 September, Pashinyan said the country was preparing for an influx of 40,000 families from Nagorno-Karabakh.TheArmenian foreign ministryaccused Azerbaijan of unleashing "large-scale aggression" against Karabakh and attempting "ethnic cleansing" in the region.Armenia called on theUnited Nations Security Counciland Russia to take action to end the military operation, while Pashinyan called an emergency meeting of the country's National Security Council.The council's secretary,Armen Grigoryan, accusedRussian peacekeepersof failing to protect Nagorno-Karabakh,which was also echoed by Pashinyan.Following the announcement of the ceasefire, protests erupted in the capitalYerevanover the impending loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. The pro-Western National Democratic Alliance blamed the situation on Russia's failure to intervene, while members of the pro-Russian political opposition blamed Pashinyan for the defeat and accused him of betraying Nagorno-Karabakh's residents "in favor of the interests of the West."
On 3 October, theNational Assembly of Armeniavoted 60–22 in favor of ratifying theRome Statute, which would enable Armenia to join theInternational Criminal Court. Although the government claimed that the move to create additional guarantees for Armenia in response to Azerbaijani aggression, it was also seen as a sign of worsening relations with Russia, whose president,Vladimir Putin, is wanted by the court on charges of war crimes in theinvasion of Ukraine.The measure was signed into law by PresidentVahagn Khachaturyanon 14 October.
On 28 November 2023, the president of theNational Assembly of ArmeniaAlen Simonyanstated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is over and Armenia should not prioritize the quick return of the recently displaced Karabakh Armenians to their homes in peace talks with Azerbaijan. Simonyan confirmed that "Armenia fully recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, including Nagorno-Karabakh."On 1 February 2024, Armenia became the 124th member of theInternational Criminal Court.
InLos Angeles, members of theArmenian communityused a trailer truck to block a major freeway for several hours to draw attention to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 September, causing major traffic jams. ActressKim Kardashian, who is ofArmenian descent, called onUnited States PresidentJoe Biden"to stop anotherArmenian genocide" on social media.Armenian students of theUniversity of Southern Californiaprotested the presence of Turkish ambassador to the United StatesHasan Murat Mercanat a foreign policy conference held in the university campus. The university refused to cancel the event, maintaining their stance onfreedom of speech.
InLebanon, firecrackers were thrown at the Azerbaijani embassy in the Ein Aar suburb ofBeirutduring a protest byLebanese Armenianson 28 September, prompting riot police to disperse them with tear gas.Armenian Argentinesalso held a protest in front of the Azerbaijani embassy inBuenos Aires.
Russian foreign ministryspokeswomanMaria Zakharovasaid that Russia was "deeply alarmed by the sharp escalation."Chairman of theSecurity Council of RussiaDmitry Medvedevsaid that Russia will not defendArmeniafrom theAzerbaijanioffensive, while strongly criticizing Armenian Prime MinisterNikol Pashinyanfor "[flirting] with NATO" and "defiantly going to [Russia's] enemies with cookies".This comes despite Russia and Armenia both being members of theCollective Security Treaty Organizationmutual defense pact and Russia stationing several thousand soldiers in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh aspeacekeepers.
Presidential spokespersonDmitry Peskovdenied accusations from Armenia that the country's peacekeepers had failed to protect Nagorno-Karabakh from the Azerbaijani attack, calling them "unfounded".Peskov later said that the future of the peacekeeping mission was to be decided between Russia and Armenia now that their area of operation was effectively in Azerbaijani territory.A week before the fighting, PresidentVladimir Putinsaid that the country could do nothing if Armenia had already recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, referring to statements made by Pashinyan in May that appeared to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh in exchange for security guarantees towards the Armenian population.
The independent Russian media outletMeduzasaid it had obtained a guidance document from the Kremlin circulated on 19 September to state media outlets that recommended blaming Armenia and the West, rather than Azerbaijan, for the escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.Speaking at the 78thUnited Nations General AssemblyinNew York Cityon 23 September, Foreign MinisterSergei Lavrovaccused the Armenian leadership of adding "fuel to the fire", referring to the conflict, and reiterated thatagreements made following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991stated that the existing borders of its former constituent republics were inviolable, hereby recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
Hakan Fidan, theMinister of Foreign Affairs, offered diplomatic support to Azerbaijan, stating that their military operation was "justified" and that "Azerbaijan has taken the measures it deems necessary on its own sovereign territory."Addressing theUnited Nations General Assembly,Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanstated "As everyone now acknowledges, Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory. Imposition of another status [to the region] will never be accepted," and that "[Turkey] support[s] the steps taken by Azerbaijan — with whom we act together with the motto ofone nation, two states— to defend its territorial integrity."Erdoğan also met with Aliyev in theNakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
ThePresident of the European Councilof the European UnionCharles Michelcondemned Azerbaijan's hostility and urged the country to immediately stop its military activities and return to dialogue, through a social media post.
On 21 September,Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy released a statement which condemned the military operation by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and deplored the casualties and loss of life caused by the offensive.According toRFE/RL's journalist Rikard Jozwiak, this was not issued as a joint statement of the entire bloc because it wasvetoedbyHungary.HungarianForeign MinisterPéter Szijjártódenied this and said that the country, "along with several other member states, provided feedback and proposed amendments for a joint statement." However, he said that a consensus was not reached, which led Borrell to issue the statement on his own behalf.
David McAllister, chair of theEuropean Parliament's foreign affairs committee, warned of "serious consequences" if Armenians were pressured to leave.
ThePresident of the European Commission,Ursula von der Leyencondemned "the military operation by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and reaffirmed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia". She also announced preparations for a joint EU-US event to support Armenia.
United Nations spokesmanStéphane DujarrictoldAl Jazeerathat the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh was "very concerning". He urged both sides to halt hostilities and go back to "sustained dialogue".The UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide,Alice Wairimu Nderitu, expressed alarm at the military escalation by Azerbaijan, saying that: "Military action can only contribute to escalate what is already a tense situation and to put the civilian population in the area at risk of violence, including risk of genocide and related atrocity crimes."
TheUnited Nations Human Rights Counciladopted a joint statement on 12 October, signed by delegates from countries including Armenia, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, United States, France and Japanexpressing concern over the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. Urging both Armenia and Azerbaijan to offer theOHCHRassistance and ensure the rights and safety of those remaining in the region. They also urged compliance with interim measures adopted by theEuropean Court of Human Rightsand provisional measures of the International Court. Lastly, the statement called for continued humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the crisis and for international access to Nagorno-Karabakh, supporting dialogue among all parties to ensure comprehensive and lasting peace.
TheCouncil of Europestated that it was "extremely concerned about the serious humanitarian and human rights situation in Nagorno-Karabakh".
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human RightsDunja Mijatovićvisited Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region, from 16 to 23 October 2023, and published on 12 January 2024 her observations. Testimonies provided to the Commissioner by Karabakh Armenians reveal a deep-rooted fear for their lives and future amid armed conflicts, exacerbated by Azerbaijan's control resulting from unresolved past atrocities and ongoing intimidation. Feeling abandoned by all parties and with no security guarantees, the heightened vulnerability experienced during the blockade, and the unexpected reopening of the Lachin corridor in late September 2023, prompted Karabakh Armenians to believe that leaving the region immediately was the only option available to ensure their survival and future well-being. The Commissioner also stated that all displaced persons have the right to return to their homes, regardless of whether they have been displaced internally or across borders, and that both Armenia and Azerbaijan have the obligation to ensure that any return is voluntary, safe and dignified.
According to leaked documents, Belarus provided advanced weaponry to Azerbaijan, including artillery and drones, that were used in this conflict, prompting Armenian withdrawal from theCollective Security Treaty Organizationin June 2024.
Israelis one of the major arms exporters to Azerbaijan, accounting for 27% of Azerbaijan's major arms imports from 2011 to 2020, and 69% of Azerbaijan's major imports from 2016 to 2020, according to research from theStockholm International Peace Research Institute.According to Efraim Inbar, an expert onIsrael-Azerbaijan relationsand president of theJerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, ties between the two countries have grown stronger since the2020 war.
The offensive involving heavy artillery, rocket launchers and drones were suspected to be largely supplied by Israel alongside Turkey. Weeks before the offensive, Azerbaijani military cargo planes repeatedly flew between a southern Israeli airbase and an airfield near Nagorno-Karabakh, according to flight tracking data and Armenian diplomats. Armenia's ambassador to Israel Arman Akopian said that he voiced his concerns about Israeli weaponry shipments to the Israeli government.
An official of theTurkish Ministry of National Defensestated that whileTurkeywas using "all means" to support Azerbaijan, including the modernisation of the Azerbaijani military and military training, denied that the country played a direct role in the offensive,instead limiting its support for Azerbaijan to diplomatic means.
The Turkish President threatened Israel in a speech in July 2024 over theIsrael–Hamas war, stating that Turkey may enter Israeli territory just as it had done inLibyaand Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that theArmenian Armed Forceswere not involved in the fighting and that its forces were not stationed inNagorno-Karabakh.Armenia'sMinistry of Defenseaccused Azerbaijani officials of spreading misinformation, saying that there is no Armenian military equipment or personnel present in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Various political analysts and Artsakh residents consider Azerbaijan's underlying goal for the offensive to beethnic cleansing.
Luis Moreno Ocampo, the firstProsecutor of the International Criminal Court, warned that anotherArmenian genocidewas about to take place. Citing the 1948Genocide Convention, he stated that Azerbaijan was purposely inflicting living conditions to physically destroy a specific group by blocking the Lachin corridor, and was proceeding to kill and cause "serious bodily and mental harm". Moreno Ocampo stated the inaction of the international community would encourage Azerbaijan in the belief that it would face no serious consequences for committinggenocide. He also discredited Aliyev's claims that his regime was not seeking ethnic cleansing, pointing out that Aliyev regularly referred to Armenia as "Western Azerbaijan" and claimed "present-day Armenia is our land".
Thomas de Waalsaid that Azerbaijan was emboldened to start its offensive during a downturn inrelations between Russia and Armenia, and the loss of the Russian peacekeeping force's "best commanders" to theinvasion of Ukraine. He also said that Russia could use such a crisis to instigate regime change in Armenia.
A group of 123 Turkish academics released a statement warning the international community about Azerbaijan's intentions to commit genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh. In response, the Federation of Eurasian Turkic Associations called for the academics to have their citizenship revoked and for them to be expelled to Armenia.
Belarusian Nobel Prize laureateAles Bialiatskicoined the term "Azerbaijanization" to describeNATOmember countries' tendency to ignore violations of human rights when it suits their interests.
Sergey Radchenko, a historian onCold Warpolitics and professor atCardiff University, questioned the lack of international intervention in Nagorno-Karabakh, comparing the situation to that ofNATO's intervention in Kosovo in 1999.
Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at theUniversity of Bremen, attributed the speed of Azerbaijan's victory to its demographic superiority over both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and the failure of the latter to strengthen their defenses and strategies against the modernized Azerbaijani military. He also attributed the collapse of the Nagorno-Karabakh military to the weakness and corruption of both the Nagorno-Karabakh andArmenian economieswhich turned away potential investors in their militaries and noted that these factors had already contributed to the previous Azerbaijani victory in 2020.