Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict in 2023: The Aftermath

Azerbaijan’s reclamation, population displacement, and concerns. 

October 20, 2023

Although the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war lasted for 44 days in 2020, it left the Caucasus in a state of chaos and controversy. Azerbaijan annexed the Southeast territories in 2020 and left Armenia in internal chaos and dilemma. Until 2023, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Artsakh breakaway state existed consisting of ethnic Armenian population in the region, however this breakaway state never recognized by any UN state and Nagorno-Karabakh has been recognized as a part of Azerbaijan. In 2023, as a result of Azerbaijani offensive, Nagorno Karabakh-a territory deemed important by Azerbaijan- reclaimed by Azerbaijan after having lost the territory to Armenia in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War that took place between 1988-1994.  

 

After the Azerbaijani offensive ended, the Armenian population left the country; the number of the refugees coming from the region is claimed to be at 100.000 by Armenian government. However, during and after the Azerbaijani offensive, the international community, Armenian diaspora, and politicians worldwide expressed their concerns of a possible ethnic cleansing or a genocide due to the blockade implemented in the region by Azerbaijan in this conflictual region.  

 

Afterwards, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev proclaimed Khankendi-a city in the conflictual Nagorno-Karabakh region as an Azerbaijani territory by raising the flag of Azerbaijan in Khankendi. The status-quo and the future of the region is still debated and power politics of major powers as well as middle sized powers such as Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Israel and Iran seem to be continued for an unpredictable time. 

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