Conflict broke out in Armenia and Azerbaijan with casualties
The core focus is on territorial disputes in the Naka region. The two countries have repeatedly broken out conflicts and have been hostile for decades.
Armenia and Azerbaijan had an armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (Naka region), and both sides suffered casualties.
The conflict between the two countries has aroused international concern, and many countries called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately cease fire and resume negotiations and dialogues.
Because of territorial disputes in the Naka region, Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out after the collapse of the Soviet Union, killing nearly 30,000 people.
In 1994, the two countries reached a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, but since then various conflicts have continued.
The Beijing News reported that the epidemic is still continuing, but two countries on the border of Asia and Europe suddenly broke out in serious conflict.
According to BBC reports, on September 27, local time, Armenia and Azerbaijan had an armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (Naka region), and both sides suffered casualties.
On September 28, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Naka region have all entered a wartime state, and military conflicts continue.
The Asian-African conflict is one of the longest in the world
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were once Soviet republics.
During the Soviet period, the Naka region was an autonomous prefecture in southwestern Azerbaijan, but most of its residents were Armenians.
In 1988, Naka requested to be incorporated into Armenia, which led to conflicts in the region.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out to fight for the Naka region. Armenia occupied Naka and the surrounding parts of Azerbaijan's territory.
In 1994, the two sides reached a comprehensive ceasefire agreement.
However, since then, the two sides have failed to reach an agreement on the Naqqa region, and the two countries have been in a state of hostility.
According to BBC reports, in April 2016, conflict broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan and at least 200 people died.
In July of this year, the two sides clashed again in the border area, killing at least 16 people.
Subsequently, large-scale protests broke out in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and protesters demanded that the Naka region be retaken.
On September 27, a new round of conflict broke out in Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Naka region. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement and took the lead in launching a military offensive.
The Armenian side claimed that they were responding to Azerbaijan’s missile attacks, and the Azerbaijani side said they were responding to Armenian shelling.
Subsequently, a large-scale conflict broke out between the two sides.
Both Asia and Afghanistan declared that they had entered a state of war
According to Reuters, Armenian Prime Minister Passinyan said on the 27th that they "shot down 2 helicopters and 3 drones in Azerbaijan and destroyed 3 tanks."
Passinyan also said that Armenia will promote the independence of the Naka region.
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated that they have seized 7 villages and "several strategic highlands" in the Naka region and destroyed 12 air defense equipment in Armenia.
Both sides said there were civilian casualties.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev said on the 27th that he is confident to regain control of the Naka region.
After the conflict escalated, Armenia and the Naka region announced on the 27th that they had entered a wartime state and issued a general military mobilization.
Azerbaijan has also announced that it has entered a state of war, with curfews in some areas.
Both sides also deployed a large number of military forces in the demilitarized zone.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, the conflict between the two sides lasted until the 28th.
Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Owanishan stated on social media Facebook, “The early morning military operations are still continuing, and our armed forces have achieved great victories. However, the fighting has not ceased, and the fighting continues. Engage in artillery battle".
He also denied reports of Armenian casualties from Azerbaijan.
In addition, the Armenian Government Information Center stated on the 28th that 31 soldiers from the "Naka Republic" that were not recognized by the international community were killed in the conflict.
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated on the 28th that the Armenian army is shelling a small town called Terter.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense stated that a total of 550 soldiers in Armenia died in the conflict, but they were refuted by the Armenian side.
-Sound
Many countries call for an immediate ceasefire
Turkish President Erdogan called on the international community to support Azerbaijan on the 27th, saying that Azerbaijan was "fighting against the invasion" and condemning Armenia for launching the attack.
Azerbaijan is dominated by Turks and has always had a close relationship with Turkey.
It is reported that the Turkish side sent thousands of soldiers to Azerbaijan through Syria on the 28th.
The Russian side called for an immediate ceasefire between the two countries to stabilize the current situation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with the Prime Minister of Armenia on the 27th, expressing serious concerns about the conflict and calling for all actions to avoid escalation.
US President Trump also publicly stated on the 27th that the US is paying close attention to the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan and will try to prevent conflict between the two sides.
On the 27th, UN Secretary-General Guterres expressed extreme concern over the conflict in the Naka region.
In a statement, he called on both sides to immediately stop fighting, ease tensions, and resume meaningful negotiations as soon as possible.
The European Union, NATO and other international organizations have also expressed their views, calling for the cessation of military operations.
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China on September 28, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said when talking about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he hoped that all parties concerned would remain calm and restrained, take measures to avoid further escalation of the situation and resolve it through political dialogue. Contradictions and differences.
-Dispel doubts
Why is conflict difficult to resolve?
The international community failed to coordinate effectively; the two countries continue to oppose each other
Olesya Vartanyan, a researcher at the International Crisis Organization, told AFP, "We are only one step away from a large-scale war."
She pointed out that the sudden escalation of the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan was mainly due to the failure of the international community to provide effective coordination in recent weeks.
Zhao Huirong, a researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with the Beijing News that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has not been resolved. ; On the other hand, it is also related to the attitude of the outside world towards the region, especially the influence of Turkey and Russia.
"Azerbaijan and Turkey are alliance countries. Therefore, Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan and exerted pressure on Armenia both politically and economically. Armenia has traditionally relied on Russia, but Russia has maintained a balanced policy recently and has cooperated with both countries, especially Economic cooperation."
Zhao Huirong believes that territorial disputes can only be resolved through peaceful dialogue, but at present the two sides are at war with each other in the military, and no one has a prominent advantage, forming a tug of war.
Armenia is bound to gain this territory, and Azerbaijan feels that it is originally its own, and the two sides are in a deadlock.
Externally, the international community has also failed to promote effective dialogue between the two parties and facilitate concessions. Therefore, the conflict in the region has been slow to resolve.
How much does the conflict have on the region?
Not conducive to the stability of the entire Caucasus region, and development is even more hindered
Armenia and Azerbaijan are located in the South Caucasus region. This region is the "crossroad" connecting Eurasia and a pipeline corridor for oil, natural gas and other resources to the international market.
Reuters pointed out that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has caused concerns about stability in the region.
Zhao Huirong believes that, first of all, this conflict is very unfavorable for both countries.
At present, the two countries are facing many problems in economic development, and the intensification of military conflicts will only further hinder development.
Secondly, the conflict is obviously also detrimental to the stability of the entire Caucasus.
On the one hand, due to the impact of the epidemic, the economic situation of Eurasian countries is not very good, and the politics of some countries are also unstable. These conflicts will further hinder political and economic development.
In addition, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan may also spread to other regions.
At present, there are still many countries in the Eurasian region whose border issues have not been resolved, and some small conflicts often occur.
"This conflict will trigger a psychological chain suggestion, which may lead to intensification of conflicts in other regions."
Zhao Huirong pointed out that the Caucasus region is located in the middle of the Eurasian continent. It is a bridge and a link connecting the East and the West. It is the intersection of different civilizations and a strategic place for competition between great powers.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there were more conflicts from Ukraine in the north to the Caucasus in the south. If they are not handled well, they may become a conflict zone.
"In fact, the Caucasus region is very important to the stability and development of the Eurasian continent. However, after the end of the Cold War, the geopolitical interests of Russia and the West in this region are opposed. This has led to these countries in the middle zone that have been in geopolitical conflict. in."
Beijing News reporter Xie Lian