Azerbaijani President Raises National Flag in Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev proudly raised the national flag of Azerbaijan in the city of Khankendi, formerly known as Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. This triumphant moment comes after a lightning military operation that swiftly returned the region under Azerbaijan’s control.
Reclaiming Nagorno-Karabakh
The military operation led by President Aliyev saw the fall of Khankendi to Azerbaijani forces, resulting in the defeat of ethnic Armenian fighters and the mass exodus of Karabakh’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh by Armenians, is a mountainous region in the South Caucasus that has long been a source of tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
A History of Conflict
The dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh has its roots in the aftermath of the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917. With both Azerbaijan and Armenia laying claim to the territory, it became a point of contention. During Soviet times, it remained part of the Azeri Soviet Republic under the name “Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.”
In 1988, the First Karabakh War erupted, resulting in the loss of territory for Azerbaijan and leaving Armenians in control of most of Karabakh alongside additional surrounding areas. Azerbaijan vowed to regain control over the region.
The Second Karabakh War
In 2020, after decades of skirmishes, Azerbaijan launched a military operation, backed by Turkey, to reclaim parts of Karabakh. The 44-day war saw Azerbaijan achieve a resounding victory, breaking through Armenian defenses and gaining control over strategic areas.
In September of this year, President Aliyev initiated another military operation against ethnic Armenian fighters in the region, ultimately defeating them and solidifying Azerbaijan’s control over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The successful retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan marks a significant milestone in the region’s complex history. The future remains uncertain as the consequences and implications of this conflict continue to unfold.
