[ad_1]
- The troubled southern Caucasus Nagorno-Karabakh region has admitted the loss of the strategically important city of Shusha.
- The city is no longer under the control of Nagorno-Karabakh, the spokesman for the region’s leader said.
- President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev announced the conquest of the city on Sunday.
Shusha – or as the Armenians say: Shushi – is considered a key city because it is strategically located in the middle of Karabakh, high on a mountain. It is also crossed by the most important connecting road from Armenia to Karabakh.
“Whoever controls Schuscha has a huge advantage,” says SRF correspondent David Nauer. Furthermore, Shusha has a very high symbolic meaning for both peoples: “Azeris and Armenians say that the city has always been a historical, cultural and economic center of their respective people. It could be said that it is practically the heart of Azerbaijani Karabakh. But Shusha is also a kind of heart of Armenian Karabakh. And it is precisely this heart that is being fought for now “.
The Nagorno-Karabakh leadership also admitted that Azerbaijani troops were on their way to the capital Stepanakert. Nagorno-Karabakh has again lost dozens of soldiers in the ongoing fighting with Azerbaijan. The number of victims has increased from 44 to 1221, as announced by the authorities.
Azeris are delighted with reports that the city of Shusha has been captured.
Keystone
The Armenian army is under massive pressure during the war. It has lost large areas in the past few weeks. There is also talk of a real wave of refugees, of Armenians who are fleeing Karabakh in large numbers. “And the city of Shusha, which is now in question, appears to be practically depopulated already,” says correspondent Nauer.
Armistice plan
According to anonymous Russian and Turkish sources, a sketch for a ceasefire should already be available. According to this, Armenians should surrender larger parts of the disputed area and corridors should be set up through which Azeris can travel safely through Armenian territory, but also Armenians safely through Azerbaijani territory.
Furthermore, the Russian and Turkish peacekeepers must monitor the ceasefire. According to Nauer, this information has not been protected and it is unclear whether the two conflicting sides would agree.
Correspondent Nauer believes the latest developments around Shusha have given the impression that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will soon be resolved.
Source link
