Where is nagorno karabakh

As the Soviet Union disintegrated in the late s, the long-dissatisfied ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh petitioned to become part of the Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijan responded by trying to crush the separatists in , and clashes intensified in the region. In , both Azerbaijan and Armenia declared independence from the U. As a result, more than a million people became refugees , and around 30, people, including civilians, were killed.

Both sides engaged in ethnic cleansing during the Nagorno-Karabakh War—the Azerbaijanis against ethnic Armenians, and Armenian forces against ethnic Azeris. Despite the brutal humanitarian toll, negotiations between the sides repeatedly broke down. In , the newly independent nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed the Bishkek Protocol , a ceasefire brokered by Russia that left Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. But though the fighting ceased, the two sides could not agree on a peace treaty.

While Nagorno-Karabakh is small, the geopolitical stakes are high due to its proximity to strategic oil and gas pipelines, and its location between the powerful regional forces of Russia, Turkey, and Iran. These nations could be drawn into the conflict and its rising death toll. Can the region overcome centuries of conflict? Only time will tell—and multiple negotiated ceasefires have already been promptly broken. As the world worries about a full-scale Russo-Turkish proxy war, the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue to wrestle with the regional and historic forces that have kept them intertwined, and in conflict, for so long.

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SHUSHA, Nagorno-Karabakh— Above a valley carpeted with dense pine forest, the rocky cliff that leads to the town of Shusha is riddled with scars left by the impact of thousands of bullets.

Shusha—known as Shushi to Armenians—is thought of as the beating heart of Karabakh, itself part of an enclave long disputed by Azerbaijan and Armenia. A natural fortress surrounded by sheer cliffs, the town has strategic significance: Overlooking the vital city of Stepanakert, Shusha is held by both sides to be the key to Karabakh.

For many of them, this commemoration trip to Shusha is the first time they have seen their homeland—the area was under Armenian control since the first war in the s.

Pogroms in the s cleared Shusha of most of its Armenian population, until the town was retaken by Armenia in the s war—a big victory, since Shusha had housed rockets that rained down on Stepanakert in a six-month siege. It has been home to poets and musicians of both ethnicities since it was established by a Turkic Persian khan in the 18th century.

In May, Azerbaijan declared Shusha its cultural capital. Shusha was previously a resort in Soviet times. But the new development is so close to Armenian territory that it almost feels like an open instigation. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions—all of which are recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan—had been under Armenian control since the first Karabakh war in the early s.

While much of the enclave itself is still administered by ethnic Armenians, Azerbaijan aims to reintegrate the areas it reclaimed by connecting them to its power grid and road network, making the gains irreversible. Armenia has had to accept that the city is lost with little chance of getting it back, said Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center, a think tank in Yerevan. Some of the land lies entirely derelict, scattered with the ruins of the first war, as well as the burned-out remains of the houses Armenians set fire to as they fled last year.

Development is being hampered by the presence of landmines and unexploded weaponry, but foreign investment from sources such as the gas giant BP—particularly active in the region—is expected to help. A sign warns about mines near Fuzuli on Sept. It might take a little longer to resettle residents in Shusha. The tourist development, he hopes, will serve as an economic anchor for a region that otherwise lives off agriculture and remittances.

Green cladding surrounds Ghazanchetsots, an Armenian Apostolic cathedral damaged in the war, during construction on the building in Shusha on Sept. The changes in Shusha are brought home most clearly by the fate of Holy Savior Cathedral, also known as Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, which is very significant to Armenians.

Now, it is wrapped in green cladding, with the crucifixes removed from the entrance and the dome. Few things bring the changes in the area into sharper focus than the Muslim call to prayer echoing through streets that for three decades were exclusively inhabited by Christians.

The rejuvenation of Shusha has been welcomed across Azerbaijan, where nationalism is a tonic. Although the government is planning a number of smart cities to help them return, Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov told Al Jazeera that it could take 10 to 12 years for the area to be fully cleared of hazardous weapons. It is thought the first Azerbaijanis will be able to return to live in Nagorno-Karabakh by the end of this year or early next year.

The use of anti-personnel mines is a violation of international law, but neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan has signed the Mine Ban Convention to eliminate their use. Both say they are unwilling to stop their use until the other does.

The two rivals are trading accusations at the International Court of Justice, almost a year since signing a ceasefire. One year has passed since the Nagorno-Karabakh war and there are hints that diplomatic ties could be built. By Liz Cookman. Published On 9 Nov More from News. Activist recalls Manila blast as Marcos Jr candidacy looms. US jury can consider Rittenhouse provoked deadly violence: Judge. Rivian is now biggest US company by market value with no revenue.

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