Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict
Armenia Struggles to Cope with Exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia is having problems integrating over 100,000 refugees who fled Nagorno-Karabakh when Azerbaijan took control of the enclave in September 2023. Yerevan has tried to be generous, but it lacks funds and a long-term plan, leaving the displaced people exposed and facing an uncertain future.
CrisisWatch Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict
Unchanged Situation
Russia began withdrawing its peacekeepers from former Nagorno-Karabakh.
In surprise move, Azerbaijan and Russia 17 April confirmed sides had reached agreement for early withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from now former Nagorno-Karabakh (NK); troops had deployed in 2020 under Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev 17 April confirmed process had already started but did not say when it would be completed. Azerbaijani public largely welcomed news, having long feared that once installed, Russian forces would never leave; still, some opposition media voiced concern about lack of clarity around process and cost Baku incurred to achieve early withdrawal. Meanwhile, Turkish Ministry of National Defence 18 April announced that Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Centre, tasked with monitoring ceasefire violations in NK, would soon be terminated; closing ceremony for centre was held 26 April, marking end of its existence.
Latest Updates
Armenia Struggles to Cope with Exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia is having problems integrating over 100,000 refugees who fled Nagorno-Karabakh when Azerbaijan took control of the enclave in September 2023. Yerevan has tried to be generous, but it lacks funds and a long-term plan, leaving the displaced people exposed and facing an uncertain future.
Armenia Under the Gun
The fall of Nagorno-Karabakh did not resolve all the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan. These two neighbors have never established diplomatic ties and do not engage in trade, and their citizens cannot freely visit one another. Both countries have now raised three generations of people who view the other side as the enemy.
The Days After: Humanitarian Crisis and Prospects for Peace in Karabakh and the Region
This week on War & Peace, Olga Oliker talks with Crisis Group’s South Caucasus experts Olesya Vartanyan and Zaur Shiriyev about Azerbaijan’s military action in Karabakh, its humanitarian fallout and prospects for peace between Baku and Yerevan.
Responding to the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Nagorno-Karabakh
Tens of thousands of people from Nagorno-Karabakh have streamed into Armenia following Azerbaijan’s one-day offensive ending the enclave’s de facto self-governance. Outside powers should focus on meeting the refugees’ needs, protecting those few residents who wish to remain and preventing renewed conflict in the region.
Nagorno-Karabakh: Prospects for De-escalation (Online event, 15 September 2023)
In this online event Crisis Group experts discuss the latest developments in Nagorno-Karabakh and prospects for de-escalating tensions and a peace agreement.
It’s make or break time for Nagorno-Karabakh’s future
Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks in Washington DC. It’s a critical moment for Nagorno-Karabakh
New Troubles in Nagorno-Karabakh: Understanding the Lachin Corridor Crisis
As peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue, Baku has opened a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the sole road connecting Armenia to the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, raising fears of a new surge in fighting. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts discuss the risks.
The Pressing Task of Advancing Peace Talks in the South Caucasus
The EU is sending a mission to monitor the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. In this excerpt from the Watch List 2023, Crisis Group explains what else the EU and its member states can do to avert another war and revitalise peace talks.
Averting a New War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The European Union is sending monitors to Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan, so as to lessen the danger of renewed fighting between the two countries over Nagorno-Karabakh and other issues. Brussels must give the mission the means and mandate it will need to succeed.
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