Turkish media alarms over US military presence in Armenia "Playing with fire!"

Turkish newspaper Milliyet has recently published an article raising concerns about the US military presence in Armenia.

Titled "The US is Playing with Fire! Americans Hit Azerbaijan’s Radar, Additional Military in Armenia," the piece highlights reports from Azerbaijani media about the continued presence of US forces in Armenia despite the conclusion of the Eagle Partner exercise, Caliber.Az cites Azertag.

According to the report, the US has not fully withdrawn its troops but has instead covertly stationed them in the Zangezur region. This move has fueled outrage, with Azerbaijani sources accusing Washington of attempting to disrupt the regional balance of power.

Milliyet's article also references the new status quo formed in the South Caucasus following the 44-day Patriotic War, which saw Azerbaijani forces reclaim territory from nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation. It recalls how Azerbaijani forces secured a swift victory in September 2023. It is recalled that the Azerbaijani army forced the occupants to admit defeat in September 2023 in just 24 hours.

The report further underscores rising tensions between Yerevan and Moscow, exacerbated by protests near Russian military installations in Armenia. Huseyin Narin, the article's author, notes that Nikol Pashinyan's allies, including the US and France, have expressed unease over Azerbaijan’s success. It details the arrival of US military personnel in Armenia in the autumn of 2023 under the guise of the Eagle Partner exercise, which drew stern warnings from Moscow about NATO's influence.

Milliyet highlights that US troops returned to Armenia in July 2024, again under the pretence of joint exercises. Despite the official end of the Eagle Partner exercise, Azerbaijani media reported that US forces did not leave but were redeployed to the strategically crucial Zangezur region. The Pentagon’s website featured numerous photos of US personnel training Armenian soldiers, yet Azerbaijani sources observed continued US military flights into Zvartnots airport post-exercise.

"The appearance of the US military in the South Caucasus is not an accident at all. Although the US embassy in Iravan has officially announced the end of the joint exercise, the cargoes that US military transport planes deliver to Iravan raise numerous questions," the author states.

The article concludes by suggesting that the ongoing presence of US military forces near Iran’s borders presents Tehran with a significant dilemma.