Seven thousand people were killed in just six weeks in the brutal war in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh three years ago. So when Azerbaijan launched a new military offensive on Tuesday, many feared the worst. About 100 people were reportedly killed in the first few hours.
Within a day, a ceasefire was announced. The agreement includes the disbanding of the local Armenian government’s military, in what seems to be a capitulation to Azerbaijan, which had described its offensive as an “anti-terrorist operation”. Talks are due to take place on Thursday. But if the ceasefire holds, the future of desperate residents remains in doubt. Baku has demanded the dissolution of the local government in Nagorno-Karabakh and has said it plans to “reintegrate” the Armenian population. Regional officials have accused Baku of preparing a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
