Garabagh anti-terror measures: terrorists on target, civilians under care Azerbaijan kicks off reintegration of Garabagh Armenians

Azerbaijan stopped on September 20 the counter-terrorism measures to disarm the formations of the Armenian Armed Forces in the Garabagh region. The cessation of hostilities came following an appeal by the representatives of the region’s Armenian minority.

The Armenian army formations and illegal armed gangs agreed to withdraw from their strongholds in Garabagh, lay down arms, and hand over all ammunition and heavy equipment.

During the one-day anti-terror measures, certain international actors allegedly accused Azerbaijan of “starving” the Armenian minority and deliberately fuelling the so-called “humanitarian crisis” to edge these people.

But, a point in the cessation agreement fairly contested the accusations against Azerbaijan.

First, let us note that nearly 25,000 people of Armenian origin live in Garabagh, an internationally and historically recognised territory of Azerbaijan. They are de-facto a part of the country’s ten million citizens on a par with numerous ethnic minorities notwithstanding their aspirations for “independence” or “status”.

The closing point of the cessation agreement states that Azerbaijan will host the representatives of Garabagh’s Armenian minority for a dialogue on September 21. The upcoming negotiations will address the immediate launch of the process for the reintegration of Garabagh Armenians into Azerbaijani society. This comes as the pinnacle of Azerbaijan’s relevant efforts since the end of the 44-day war in 2020.

Throughout the anti-terror campaign in Garabagh, the Azerbaijan Armed Forces took all necessary steps to prevent any impact of the hostilities on civilians. Shortly after the start of the anti-terror measures on September 19, the Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan announced that humanitarian corridors were created for the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone.

On September 20, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that over 2,000 Armenians, including 1,049 children, were evacuated from the region. In addition, the Azerbaijani troops assisted the Russian peacekeepers in facilitating the relocation of the Armenian civilians from the combat zone to humanitarian shelters.

During the anti-terror measures, the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan has called on the civilian population in Garabagh to stay away from the military facilities and not to support the Armenian armed forces, taking into account the placement of firearms by the units of the Armenian armed forces near the places of their residence. Relevant information was sent to the Armenian residents of Garabagh via mobile SMS messages. At the same time, the population was warned through loudspeakers and information leaflets were distributed.

For the Azerbaijani authorities, the Garabagh Armenians are the citizens of the country. However, the First Karabakh War in 1991-1994 cut their relationship with Azerbaijan after Armenia occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijani lands, including the territories settled by ethnic Armenians.

Azerbaijan took the first steps to win back the Armenian population in Garabagh into the local society post-2020 war in March 2023. Back then, the minority’s representatives sat for talks with the special delegation from Baku in the Russian peacekeeping command’s headquarters in Garabagh. Encouraged by, if not obviously but slightly positive tone at the talks, the Azerbaijani authorities invited them for the second meeting in Baku.

However, a group of separatists meddled to derail the process. They have again come up with so-called status for the region’s Armenian population, demanding “independence” from Azerbaijan, a call that irritated Baku amidst the intensification of its reintegration agenda.

“There is only one option left – to obey the laws of Azerbaijan, be a loyal and normal citizen of Azerbaijan, throw the false state attributes in the trash, and dissolve the “parliament” – as if there is a “parliament” there as if there is a president as if there is a minister, all this is funny. We are simply being patient,” President Aliyev said in one of his speeches in May.

Back then, President Aliyev announced that Baku was not going to send the third invitation to the Armenian minority’s representatives in Garabagh because of their reluctance to press ahead with the reintegration agenda.

In his various speeches and interviews, President Aliyev has reiterated that the Armenian-descent people living in Garabagh are citizens of Azerbaijan and they should choose whether to live as citizens of the country as an ethnic minority next to other minorities or to leave.

Meanwhile, an aid convoy dispatched by the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society has been waiting in the Aghdam district since August 29. Forty tonnes of flour and flour products destined for the Armenian minority in Garabagh were stuck in Aghdam due to the latter’s refusal to receive them.

On September 18, the authorities of Azerbaijan allowed the aid cargo of the International Committee of the Red Cross to move to Garabagh on Aghdam-Khankendi and Lachin-Khankendi roads. The aid reached the Armenian population in the region on the same day.