Nagorno-Karabakh: before handing over villages to Azerbaijan, Armenians burn their houses | Caucasus



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Arsen’s last act before leaving the village he had been fighting for in recent weeks was to light a fire in the dining room of his sister’s house, which consumed the building within minutes. Like him, other Nagorno-dwellers-Karabakh who have been under Armenian control for more than 20 years and who move to Azerbaijan within a few days have done the same with their homes.

“They will be here tomorrow morning. Fuck you. Live here if they can, ”Arsen said, quoted by the Reuters report to Charektar.

The agreement that ended the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, mediated by Russia, provides for the transfer to the Baku government of the territories on the Nagorno-Karabakh border controlled by Armenia since the 1990s. The terms of the deal were seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and provoked protests in Armenia, which saw them as a capitulation.

Until the 20th, Armenia must deliver the Kalbajar and Aghdam regions and the Lachin regions by the end of the month.

It is also time to take stock. Armenia claims it has lost more than 2,300 soldiers over the course of six weeks of fighting. Azerbaijan reported no casualties in its ranks, accounting for 93 civilian deaths. The two countries have exchanged bodies of soldiers killed in their territories in recent days. The Russian government, which has mediated the diplomatic efforts, estimates that the fighting has left more than 4,000 dead and 8,000 injured, as well as tens of thousands of refugees.

The two countries are fighting for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijani territory, but controlled by pro-Armenian authorities since the end of the civil war between them in 1994. Since then, the conflict has been resumed sporadically, but the fighting in recent weeks has been the most violent in nearly 30 years. The deepening of tension between the two former Soviet republics has renewed fears of a new conflict in the Caucasus, with the potential to attract other countries. In addition to Russia, Turkey, an ally of Baku, also has interests in the region.

After successfully negotiating a ceasefire agreement, Russia is now trying to ensure the deployment of a UN mission on the ground for humanitarian purposes. “The UN is very interested in coordinating its actions with our peacekeepers, with our border guards and with those who will solve humanitarian problems,” said Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov.

The Russian peacekeeping mission arrived in Stepanakert, the main city of the enclave, on Friday and includes about 2,000 soldiers. Among its duties is the supervision of compliance with the truce by both parties.

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