Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as the Republic of Artsakh, is a self-declared state claiming independence from Azerbaijan. As of January 1, 2020, the region had more than 148 thousand inhabitants, with ethnic Armenians representing the largest share of the population. On September 19, 2023, Nagorno-Karabakh's authorities reported an offensive from the Azerbaijani military. The following day, the Army of Azerbaijan reportedly took control over the region and a ceasefire was agreed upon with the participation of Russian peacekeeping forces. The separatist government issued a decree stating the dissolution of the state from January 1, 2024.
The three-decades-long conflict has resulted in thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees. Armenia's government reported that more than 93 thousand refugees have fled to the country since September 19, 2023 as of September 29, 2023.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict timeline
The territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh dates back to 1988 when the First Nagorno-Karabakh War began. In 1994, the Bishkek Protocol, a ceasefire agreement, was brokered by Russia. In 2020, the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War began, lasting for six weeks until another ceasefire was settled. In total during 2020, over 7.6 thousand battle fatalities were recorded in the region. Despite the ceasefire, the tensions continued and soldiers from both sides got detailed while trying to cross the region's borders.The three-decades-long conflict has resulted in thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees. Armenia's government reported that more than 93 thousand refugees have fled to the country since September 19, 2023 as of September 29, 2023.
