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Armenia and Azerbaijan erupt into fighting over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh


CBH1926

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Armenia and Azerbaijan erupt into fighting over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh

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1 minute ago
TanksIMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image captionArmenia released images of what it said were Azerbaijani tanks under attack
Heavy fighting has erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, with both civilians and combatants killed.
Accusing Azerbaijan of air and artillery attacks, Armenia reported downing helicopters and destroying tanks, and declared martial law.
Azerbaijan said it had begun a counter-offensive in response to shelling.
The region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians.
They broke away in the dying years of the Soviet Union. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were part of the communist state, which sought to suppress ethnic and religious differences.
Amid the clashes, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was confident of regaining control over the breakaway region.
Martial law has also been declared in some regions of Azerbaijan.
The conflict in the Caucasus Mountains has remained unresolved for more than three decades, with periodic bouts of fighting. Border clashes in July killed at least 16 people, prompting the largest demonstration for years in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, where there were calls for the region's recapture.
On Sunday, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged support for Azerbaijan during the new crisis while Russia, traditionally seen as an ally of Armenia, called for an immediate ceasefire and talks to stabilise the situation.
France, which has a large Armenian community, called for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue, while Iran, which borders both Azerbaijan and Armenia. offered to broker peace talks.

How did the fighting spread?

Armenia's defence ministry said an attack on civilian settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the regional capital Stepanakert, began at 08:10 local time (04:10 GMT) on Sunday.
A woman and child were killed, officials said. The separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said 16 of their servicemen had died, with 100 injured.
Armenia said it had shot down two helicopters and three drones, as well as destroying three tanks.
Recruitment meeting for the Armenian armed forcesIMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionArmenia announced full mobilisation
Armenia's government declared martial law and total military mobilisation, shortly after a similar announcement by the authorities inside Nagorno-Karabakh. 
Martial law is an emergency measure under which the military takes over the authority and functions of the civilian government.
TanksIMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image captionAzerbaijan released images of what it said were damaged Armenian armoured vehicles
"Get ready to defend our sacred homeland," Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said after accusing Azerbaijan of "pre-planned aggression".
Warning that the region was on the brink of a "large-scale war", and accusing Turkey of "aggressive behaviour", he urged the international community to unite to prevent any further destabilisation.
Map
According to Azerbaijani prosecutors, five members of the same family were killed by Armenian shelling of one village in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan's defence ministry confirmed the loss of one helicopter but said the crew had survived, and reported that 12 Armenian air defence systems had been destroyed. It denied other losses reported by Armenia.
President Aliyev said he had ordered a large-scale counter-offensive operation in response to Armenian army attacks.
Azerbaijani President Ilham AliyevIMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA
image captionAzerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev went on TV
"As a result of the counter-offensive operation, a number of Azerbaijani residential areas that were under occupation have been liberated," he said in remarks broadcast on television.
"I am confident that our successful counter-offensive operation will put an end to the occupation, to the injustice, to the 30-year-long occupation."
Armenia's defence ministry denied any villages had been lost to Azerbaijan.
2px presentational grey line

Nagorno-Karabakh - key facts

  • A mountainous region of about 4,400 sq km (1,700 sq miles)
  • Traditionally inhabited by Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks
  • In Soviet times, it became an autonomous region within the republic of Azerbaijan
  • Internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but majority of population is ethnic Armenian
  • An estimated one million people displaced by 1990s war, and about 30,000 killed
  • Separatist forces captured some extra territory around the enclave in Azerbaijan in the 1990s war
  • Stalemate has largely prevailed since a 1994 ceasefire
  • Russia has traditionally been seen as an ally of the Armenians
2px presentational grey line
President Erdogan called Armenia "the biggest threat to peace and tranquillity in the region".
Turkey has close ties to Azerbaijan and does not have relations with Armenia.
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has long been trying to mediate a settlement of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, with diplomats from France, Russia and the US - making up the OSCE Minsk Group - trying to build on a 1994 ceasefire.

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Just now, CBH1926 said:

With current geopolitical situation, this can turn into large scale war very quickly involving other countries.

I was thinking much the same. The two principles are bad enough, but they're right in the middle of Russia, Turkey and Iran....

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1 hour ago, CBH1926 said:

With current geopolitical situation, this can turn into large scale war very quickly involving other countries.

I think this will go on completely ignored by the US. The US media is incapable of keeping this top of mind, and they will be obsessed with the supreme court and election. 

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8 minutes ago, Robert Long said:

I think this will go on completely ignored by the US. The US media is incapable of keeping this top of mind, and they will be obsessed with the supreme court and election. 

Not much they can really do since this is Russia's backyard.  

All the US can do is ask for calm and mediation.  

 

Whatever the outcome is, the ultimate winner will be Russia.  

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4 minutes ago, Lancaster said:

Not much they can really do since this is Russia's backyard.  

All the US can do is ask for calm and mediation.  

 

Whatever the outcome is, the ultimate winner will be Russia.  

Trump won't even do that. Putin has him in his back pocket somehow (I think its financial) and Americans can't pronounce the countries or regions involved here. 

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1 minute ago, Robert Long said:

Trump won't even do that. Putin has him in his back pocket somehow (I think its financial) and Americans can't pronounce the countries or regions involved here. 

Regardless of who is in power, it's within Russia's sphere of influence.  

Bush 1 and Clinton couldn't do anything regarding the Abkhazia War 91-93, Bush #2 couldn't do anything about the Russian-Georgian conflict of 2008, Obama couldn't do much with Crimea in 2014 either.  

It could be Hillary or BIden in power and they won't be doing anything tangible either.  Ex-Soviet republics are more or less out-of-bounds for the US. 

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54 minutes ago, Robert Long said:

I think this will go on completely ignored by the US. The US media is incapable of keeping this top of mind, and they will be obsessed with the supreme court and election. 

This is Putin’s back yard, just like Ukraine.

There is not much that could be done with or without current political circus.

It will be interesting to see if Erdogan clashes with Putin over this conflict.

 

Edited by CBH1926
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2 hours ago, CBH1926 said:

This is Putin’s back yard, just like Ukraine.

There is not much that could be done with or without current political circus.

It will be interesting to see if Erdogan clashes with Putin over this conflict.

 

Well, you would think that Azerbaijan would not take to violent conflict, as they have been working for more closer ties to Europe.   They did host the 2019 Europa League Final in Baku between Arsenal and Chelsea.  They were also set to host 2020 Euro matches as well.

 

sky sports link

UEFA to keep Baku as Euro 2020 host city, says president Aleksander Ceferin

 

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3 hours ago, Lancaster said:

Regardless of who is in power, it's within Russia's sphere of influence.  

Bush 1 and Clinton couldn't do anything regarding the Abkhazia War 91-93, Bush #2 couldn't do anything about the Russian-Georgian conflict of 2008, Obama couldn't do much with Crimea in 2014 either.  

It could be Hillary or BIden in power and they won't be doing anything tangible either.  Ex-Soviet republics are more or less out-of-bounds for the US. 

 

3 hours ago, CBH1926 said:

This is Putin’s back yard, just like Ukraine.

There is not much that could be done with or without current political circus.

It will be interesting to see if Erdogan clashes with Putin over this conflict.

 

respectfully disagree, there's a lot Trump could be doing short of going t war. He could bring serous sanctions against Russia, he could denounce it, he could call for a peace summit. 

 

But he won't, in part because he's in Vlad's pocket and I do think general US disinterest in the world is a big factor. 

 

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3 hours ago, Lancaster said:

Regardless of who is in power, it's within Russia's sphere of influence.  

Bush 1 and Clinton couldn't do anything regarding the Abkhazia War 91-93, Bush #2 couldn't do anything about the Russian-Georgian conflict of 2008, Obama couldn't do much with Crimea in 2014 either.  

It could be Hillary or BIden in power and they won't be doing anything tangible either.  Ex-Soviet republics are more or less out-of-bounds for the US. 

When the Ukraine gave up their nukes, they essentially gave up the Crimea.  This isn't to say things would be significantly better in that country today if they hadn't given them up.  We (Canada) aren't the only country that has a good chunk of corruption in government (though one could easily argue, it's on another level there [in a bad way]).  

Edited by NewbieCanuckFan
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5 minutes ago, Robert Long said:

 

respectfully disagree, there's a lot Trump could be doing short of going t war. He could bring serous sanctions against Russia, he could denounce it, he could call for a peace summit. 

 

But he won't, in part because he's in Vlad's pocket and I do think general US disinterest in the world is a big factor. 

 

Trump is not getting involved for obvious reasons besides being political dilettante.

As of right now, Russia is not a player so I don’t see sanctions against them being levied.

Drones that were used by Azerbaijan forces are Turkish made, Erdogan is more to blame for the escalation.

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1 hour ago, Robert Long said:

 

respectfully disagree, there's a lot Trump could be doing short of going t war. He could bring serous sanctions against Russia, he could denounce it, he could call for a peace summit. 

 

But he won't, in part because he's in Vlad's pocket and I do think general US disinterest in the world is a big factor. 

 

"Vlad's pocket"?!..Surprised RL, you buying that MSM tripe?

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1 hour ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

"Vlad's pocket"?!..Surprised RL, you buying that MSM tripe?

DT wishes to be like VP, actual tough and ruthless leader.

With all his ties to Russian money and businesses, you don’t need to be a Sherlock Holmes to figure it out.

Getting kompromat on reckless egomaniac, that can’t keep his mouth shut to save his life, is like stealing candy from a baby.

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