The blockade imposed by Azerbaijani autocrat Ilham Aliyev in Nagorno-Karabakh, under the pretext of combating alleged weapons smuggling, is causing a severe humanitarian crisis. The flow of goods has been halted, and even essential convoys, including those from the Red Cross and emergency medical transports, are denied entry.

Azerbaijan Begins "Anti-Terror Operation" in Nagorno-Karabakh

According to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense, Azerbaijan has begun "anti-terror operations" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region on Tuesday. The operations targeted Armenian forces, the ministry in Baku said. Explosions were heard in Stepanakert, the capital of the disputed region between the two countries for decades, according to an AFP reporter. The representation of Nagorno-Karabakh, based in Armenia, spoke of a "large-scale military offensive".

"Intensive Shelling"

According to local authorities, several cities in Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked by Azerbaijan. The representation stated on Facebook that "At the moment, the capital Stepanakert and other cities and villages are under intense shelling." "As of 8:00 PM, there are 25 casualties, including two civilians, as a result of the comprehensive terrorist attack by Azerbaijan," wrote the Human Rights Commissioner of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), Gegam Stepanjan, on Tuesday evening on Twitter.

Earlier, according to Azerbaijani reports, six people were killed in mine explosions. Azerbaijani security forces reported that two civilians were killed on a road towards the city of Shusha in the Azerbaijani-controlled part of Nagorno-Karabakh by a mine laid by Armenian "sabotage groups". Four police officers were later killed in another mine explosion on their way to the blast site.

According to its own claims, Baku informed Russia and Turkey, which provide peacekeeping and observer forces in the conflict region, about the "anti-terror operation". It is a "local anti-terror operation to restore constitutional order" in the region. Azerbaijan claimed that only military targets were being shot at. According to reports from Baku, their own positions were initially attacked by Armenian artillery and several soldiers were wounded.

Humanitarian Corridors

According to further statements from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, humanitarian corridors have been established for civilians to leave the contested areas. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh is the only way to establish peace. The "separatist regime" in Nagorno-Karabakh must be dissolved. The Armenian Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, stated that they have no forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Meanwhile, Armenia called on the UN Security Council and Russia to take action to end the military operation. "Clear and unambiguous steps are necessary to end the Azerbaijani aggression," said a statement from the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yerevan, which was widely circulated by Armenian media. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened the National Security Council.

EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell condemned the military escalation in a statement. He called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" and urged Azerbaijan to end military activities. Borrell emphasized that the EU continues to advocate for dialogue.

In a statement on Twitter, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called for an immediate halt to Azerbaijan's military activities. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Azerbaijan to return to the negotiating table. She stressed that the protection of the civilian population in Nagorno-Karabakh is also the responsibility of the Russian soldiers stationed there.

Recently, Armenia has expressed concern about the large-scale deployment of Azerbaijani troops along its borders. On the other hand, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baku described the concentration of Armenian forces on the border as the greatest threat to the stability of the region.

Escalation with a Warning

The military operation did not come out of nowhere. A catastrophe has been looming in the region for months. In Nagorno-Karabakh, 120,000 people - including 30,000 children - have been fearing starvation for many weeks. Azerbaijan has blocked the only supply corridor to the region. In the Caucasian region, located deep in the south of the former Soviet Union, almost exclusively Armenians live. In the 1990s, they gained control over the territory, which legally belonged to Azerbaijan. Three years ago, Baku recaptured two-thirds of the enclave. The so-called Lachin Corridor remained, connecting the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh with their Armenian homeland. But now, this lifeline has been severed.

Azerbaijan's Blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh Raises Humanitarian Concerns

Under the guise of preventing alleged arms smuggling, Azerbaijani autocrat Ilham Aliyev has blocked the lifeline to Nagorno-Karabakh. Initially, only the flow of goods was halted, but recently even convoys of the Red Cross and emergency medical transports were not allowed to pass.

These are strong words chosen by an expert to describe the critical situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. But they come not from just anyone, but from the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Luis Moreno Ocampo. Ocampo describes the situation in the Caucasus as "ongoing genocide." Hunger is being used as a weapon against an ethnic group. Russia, the US, and the EU must take action.

And yet nothing is being done. The reason is ugly, a lesson in geopolitical shifts in interests. "No one is willing to take risks because of the humanitarian situation," says political scientist Stefan Meister.

The EU also has ulterior motives

The rising confidence of Azerbaijan and the lack of interest in Armenia are primarily due to the war in Ukraine. Russia, Armenia's traditional protector, is weakened. The Russian peacekeepers agreed upon in 2020, who were supposed to ensure stability on the ground, have been replaced by inexperienced conscripts due to the war at home. In addition, "Russia needs the North-South Corridor through Azerbaijan and Turkey to circumvent Western sanctions," says Meister.

But it's not just Russia, the EU also has ulterior motives. Azerbaijan gained importance as an oil supplier to the EU because of the sanctions. "Azerbaijan acts as an intermediary by selling Russian oil to the EU," analyzes Naira Sahakyan, a historian at the American University of Armenia. Gas exports to Europe increased by one-third last year. Baku is coldly taking advantage of this tailwind.

Priority for Human Rights?

The "equal" integration of Karabakh Armenians is offered as a solution to the humanitarian crisis. However, most residents of the region fear oppression. This seems understandable. "Aliyev propagates hostility in his speeches and dehumanizes the Armenian people," explains Sahakyan.

After escalating tensions last year, Baku has now switched to a "salami tactics," emphasizes Caucasus expert Meister. The goal is to blackmail for an agreement and slowly but surely displace people. The international community must advocate for the deployment of peacekeeping troops, says Meister. "The question is whether human rights will be given priority," adds Sahakyan, an Armenian herself.