Focusing on one specific instance of conflict worldwide; Azerbaijan and Armenia have had several centuries of conflict. In recent events, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, seized a tiny territory called Nagorno-Karabakh and took control of the region. Before it was captured, it was dominated by ethnic Armenians; however, now it is a ghost town since most Armenians have fled to Armenia. Armenia's ally, Russia, failed to respond and repel Azerbaijan’s military force. Because of this, Armenians lost confidence in their ally and have turned against their Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. They blame him for compromising Armenia’s history due to the strained relations with Russia. This article will take you through the long history between Armenia and Azerbaijan and how their conflict started.
Azerbaijanis and Armenians have had territory conflicts for centuries. It began with the Russian Empire take over both Armenian and Azerbaijani land in 1823. A century later, in 1918, the Russian Empire dissolved, and the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan reignited. Three years later, the Communist Russians claimed control of their lands and began incorporating them into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The USSR ignited a life-long tension between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The central conflict is an area in Azerbaijan called Karabakh. When the USSR seized this land, they claimed it would be a part of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (S.S.R.). This territory was captured to ensure that Armenians would support Soviet rule. But Joseph Stalin suddenly reversed the decision, and in 1923, Nagorno-Karabakh became an independent region within the Azerbaijan S.S.R. This upset many Armenians because, at the time, 94 percent of the population in Karabakh were ethnic Armenians. Many ethnic Armenians claimed that Azerbaijan restricted their autonomy and discriminated against them. However, the Soviet Union ignored the protests and was intolerant of ethnic nationalism.
After the Soviet Union deteriorated in the late 1980s, Nagorno-Karabakh petitioned to become part of the Republic of Armenia. In 1988, Azerbaijan attempted to squash the separatist movement, escalating clashes in the region. By 1991, Azerbaijan and Armenia declared their independence from the USSR, which sparked a full-scale war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Consequently, over a million people became refugees, and 30,000 civilians and soldiers died in the war. This ethnic cleansing was seen on both sides, Azerbaijanis and ethnic Armenians. The severe loss of innocent humans deeply affected both sides to the point that each time they tried to agree on a treaty it would continually fall apart. The Bishkek Protocol brought a cease-fire in 1994 to the newly independent nations. However, despite the end of hostilities, the two countries disagreed on a peace treaty.
Since then, Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have been separated by a disputed “line of contact” outlined in the Bishek Protocol. This area has been increasingly militarized over the years and earned the distinction of being one of the world’s top three most heavily militarized borders. What makes this even more of a conflict is that each country has powerful allies. Azerbaijan receives support from Turkey, a NATO member, while Russia backs Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh might be small, but its geographical significance makes this area even more vulnerable. The region is near substantial oil and gas pipelines and positioned between influential powers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran. After Azerbaijan invaded the region, the separatist government decided to dissolve by the end of the year, leaving Azerbaijan to fulfill its commitment to protect the Armenian rights in the region. However, the majority of Nagorno-Karabakh’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians are facing a dilemma between conforming to the Azerbaijan government or leave their historic lands. Since September 24, a continuous flow of vehicles, including cars, buses, heavy-duty trucks, and even tractors, has been departing Nagorno-Karabakh, carrying duffel bags filled with essential belongings and occasionally animals. The main square in Goris, a town located on the Armenian border, has transformed into an impromptu refugee camp, where individuals seek refuge and assistance. As this mass exodus unfolds, the story of Nagorno-Karabakh is nearing its end, marked by persistent fears and the longstanding humanitarian impact that has afflicted the region for centuries.
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