Spotlight Artsakh

While today marks the 70th anniversary of the signature of the European Convention on Human Rights, civilian settlements in Artsakh continue to be targeted by Azerbaijani forces resulting in civilian casualties and damage to vital civilian infrastructure.

In Stepanakert, EVN Report spoke with Artsakh's Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan about the political decisions of the international community and the reasons for the artificial parity in their vocabulary, their failure to realize that authoritarian regimes do not understand the language of statements but that of action and their failure to prevent, followed by their failure to protect.

Stepanakert and Shushi came under shelling again this evening; Azerbaijani forces have started using banned incendiary cluster munitions; Lavrov says external players must use their powers to prevent mercenaries being sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A chronology of official updates.

As the war rages on, almost 80,000 Armenians from Artsakh have fled their native towns and cities and found refuge throughout Armenia proper. While they are grateful for the care they are receiving, their dream is to go back home.

Forests in almost all the regions of Artsakh are burning because of incendiary munitions; Azerbaijani forces attempt a large-scale offensive in the northwestern direction of the front line; Artsakh’s Deputy Minister of Defense is killed in battle. Here is a chronology of official updates.

A second jihadist mercenary is captured by the Artsakh Defense Army, who admits to being offered a $2000/month salary, plus a bonus of $100 for each beheading. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Despite international calls, mediation efforts and urgent appeals to cease fire, the war in Artsakh continues unabated. There is evidence that Azerbaijani forces used phosphorus munitions signaling a new low in the hostilities. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Geneva for mediated talks, Azerbaijani forces continued to shell peaceful settlements in Artsakh and Armenia. U.S. National Security Advisor says any Turkish mediation is a non-starter, suggests Scandinavian peacekeepers be deployed.

A meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan is expected to take place in Geneva tomorrow; Stepanakert and other towns and villages continue to come under constant shelling by Azerbaijani forces. Here is a chronology of official updates.

This primer provides the reader with an overview of the historical origins of the Karabakh conflict, the Soviet era, the war, the peace process all the way to the Four Day War in April 2016.