Complete Blockade Enforced Over Nagorno-Karabakh Region
In the ongoing drama of Nagorno-Karabakh, things have taken a turn for the worse since Azerbaijan imposed a blockade on December 12, preventing humanitarian convoys from reaching the region. This harsh move left the Armenian population, estimated at around 120,000, scrambling for resources.
Before this total blockade, Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) could manage occasional access to the region. But since June 15, Baku has been slamming the door shut to all humanitarian relief efforts.
The nail in the coffin came after a nasty shootout near the Lachin corridor checkpoint on June 15. Armenia released a gripping video showing Azerbaijani border troops, escorted by Russian peacekeepers, advancing towards Armenia, only to be met with gunfire.
The Armenian government claims their border guards halted the Azerbaijani soldiers from invading Armenian territory and planting an Azerbaijani flag. Azerbaijan denies crossing into Armenian land, calling the incident a calculated attempt to disrupt the checkpoint's functioning.
This incident can be seen as nothing more than a random bullet in the ongoing conflict, given that the border between the warring nations remains undefined and undemarcated.
Following this incident, Azerbaijan sealed off the Lachin corridor, a vital artery connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Armenia's Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, wasn't holding back when he described the situation as a "policy of ethnic cleansing."
The ICRC has confirmed that they've been unable to transport any Karabakhis requiring urgent medical attention to Armenia. And without food, medicine, gas, electricity, or any means of evacuation for the critically ill, the lives of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh continue to spiral downwards.
As Russian peacekeepers were seen escorting Azerbaijani servicemen in the June 15 video, the Armenian Foreign Ministry wasn't pleased. They summoned the Russian ambassador to express their discontent with the peacekeepers' actions.
Russia's Foreign Ministry responded by defending their peacekeepers, blaming the lack of a delimited border for the incident. Meanwhile, regional diplomatic efforts continue, with Lachin hosting the Cultural Capital of the CIS - 2025 and even witnessing a trilateral summit between Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan.
However, the blockade remains in effect, and the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to deteriorate. With no sign of relief in sight, the lives of the Karabakhis hang in the balance.
- The ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh crisis has escalated further, as the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan since December 12 halts humanitarian aid, causing concern among the Armenian population of around 120,000.
- In light of the December 12 blockade, the Russian peacekeepers and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had limited access to Nagorno-Karabakh, but since June 15, Baku has prevented all humanitarian relief efforts.
- The recent incident on June 15 near the Lachin corridor checkpoint, marked by a shootout, has worsened the situation, leading Armenia's Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, to label it a "policy of ethnic cleansing."
- The blockade of the Lachin corridor, a vital connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, has prompted concerns over the general news, food, medical care, and evacuation for the critically ill among the Armenian population.
