2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-KarabakhOn 19 and 20 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against the self-declared breakaway state of Artsakh, violating the ceasefire agreement signed in the aftermath of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. The offensive took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is de jure a part of Azerbaijan, and was a de facto independent republic.
Blockade of Nagorno-KarabakhThe blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh was an event in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The region was disputed between Azerbaijan and the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, which had an ethnic Armenian population and was supported by neighbouring Armenia, until the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh on 28 September 2023.
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinentallandlocked country at the boundary of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Turkey (via the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.
Second Nagorno-Karabakh WarBelligerentsAzerbaijanTurkey (alleged by Armenia)Syrian mercenariesArtsakhArmeniaCommanders and leadersIlham AliyevZakir HasanovKarim ValiyevHikmat MirzayevMais BarkhudarovHikmat HasanovKanan SeyidovZaur JavanshirElchin GuliyevIlham MehdiyevRamiz TahirovNamig IslamzadehArayik HarutyunyanJalal Harutyunyan (WIA)Mikael ArzumanyanKaren Jalavyan Artur Sargsyan † Hovhannes Avagyan †Nikol PashinyanArmen SarkissianVahagn Asatryan†David TonoyanOnik GasparyanTiran KhachatryanUnits involvedAzerbaijanAzerbaijani Armed ForcesLand Forces1st Corps2nd Corps3rd Corps4th CorpsNakhchivan GarrisonSpecial ForcesNavyMarine Infantry BattalionAir ForcesMinistry of Internal AffairsInternal TroopsForeign Intelligence ServiceYARASA Special ForcesSBSSyrian mercenariesArtsakhArtsakh Defence ArmyArmeniaArmed Forces of ArmeniaNational Security ServicePolice of ArmeniaHomeland DetachmentErato DetachmentCasualties and lossesPer Azerbaijan:2,906 servicemen killed6 servicemen missing11,110 servicemen wounded14 servicemen capturedPer SOHR:541 Syrian mercenaries killed3+ Syrian mercenaries captured See Casualties for detailsPer Armenia/Artsakh:3,825 servicemen killed187 servicemen missing~11,000 servicemen wounded and sick60+ servicemen captured See Casualties and Prisoners of war for details100 Azerbaijani and 85 Armenian civilians killed21 Armenian civilians missing416 Azerbaijani and 165 Armenian civilians injured3 Azerbaijani and 40 Armenian civilians captured1 Russian Mi-24shot down, 2 crew members killed, 1 injured1 Russian civilian killed2 French and 3 Russian journalists injured1 Iranian civilian injured by stray fire100,000 Armenians displaced and 40,000 Azerbaijanis (according to Azerbaijan) temporarily displacedThe Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding occupied territories.
Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh ( , nə-GOR-noh kər-ə-BAHK; lit. 'Upper Karabakh') is a region located within the territory of present-day Azerbaijan, covering the southeastern stretch of the Lesser Caucasus mountain range. Part of the greater region of Karabakh, it spans the area between Lower Karabakh and Syunik. Its terrain mostly consists of mountains and forestland.
Republic of ArtsakhBreakaway state in the South Caucasus (1991–2023)Today part ofAzerbaijanArtsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh or the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, was a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory was internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Between 1991 and 2023, Artsakh controlled parts of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, including its capital Stepanakert.
Ethnic cleansingEthnic cleansing is the systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial, or religious groups from a given area, with the intent of making the society ethnically homogeneous. Along with direct removal such as deportation or population transfer, it also includes indirect methods aimed at forced migration by coercing the victim group to flee and preventing its return, such as murder, rape, and property destruction.
ArmeniansEthnic group native to the Caucasus and the Armenian HighlandsEthnic groupArmenians (Armenian: հայեր, romanized: hayer, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia. Armenians constitute the main demographic group in Armenia and constituted the main population of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh until their subsequent deportation after the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive.
Crimes against humanityCrimes against humanity are certain crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as foreign nationals.
Artsakh Defence ArmyArmy of Artsakh Republic Defense Army of the Republic of ArtsakhԱրցախի Հանրապետության պաշտպանության բանակPatchFounded9 May 1992(34 years, 134 days)Disbanded20 September 2023(3 years, 0 days)HeadquartersStepanakertLeadershipCommander-in-ChiefRobert Kocharyan (1994–1997)Samvel Shahramanyan (2023–2024)Minister of DefenceSamvel Babayan (1995–1999)Lieutenant General Kamo Vardanyan (2021–2024)Commander of the Defence ArmySamvel Babayan (1993–1999)Lieutenant General Kamo Vardanyan (2021–2024)Chief of StaffLieutenant General Anatoly Zinevich (1994–1997)Major General Kamo Vardanyan (until 11 September 2021)PersonnelMilitary age18Conscription24 monthsActive personnel~12,000 (until September 2023)Reserve personnel20,000–30,000 (before 2020)IndustryForeign suppliers ArmeniaRelated articlesHistory First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994) Battle of Shusha (1992) on (8–9 May 1992) Opening the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (1992) Mardakert and Martuni Offensives (summer–autumn 1992) Defence of the Martakert front from 1992 to 1994 Battle of Kalbajar on (27 March – 3 April 1993) Agdam, Fizuli, Jebrail and Zangelan offensives (June–August 1993) Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (1994–2024) 2008 Mardakert clashes (2008) 2010 Mardakert clashes (2010) 2012 Armenian–Azerbaijani border clashes 2014 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (27 September 2020 – 10 November 2020) Battle of Hadrut (October 2020) Battle of Shusha on (4–7 November 2020) 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh The Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh (Armenian: Արցախի Հանրապետության պաշտպանության բանակ, romanized: Artsakhi Hanrapetut’yan pashtpanut’yan banak, also Defense Army of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh), also known as Artsakh Defence Army (or Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army) was the defence force of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh.
Forced displacementForced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The UNHCR defines "forced displacement" as follows: displaced "as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations".
War crimeA war crime is a serious violation of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflict, known as international humanitarian law (IHL) and the law of war, which gives rise to criminal responsibility under international law.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.