Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan Of “ethnic Cleansing” In Nagorno-Karabakh

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Armenia has raised the alarm at the United Nations, accusing Azerbaijan of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and committing crimes against humanity during its recent takeover of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenian ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan, addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, emphasized that his country had previously warned of the imminent threat of “ethnic cleansing” in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Hovhannisyan revealed the dire situation for civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh, stating that they were trapped with no means of evacuation due to Azerbaijan’s blockade, which cut off the only lifeline connecting them to Armenia. 

He asserted that this was not merely a conflict situation but a full-fledged crime against humanity that demanded international intervention.

MARUT VANYAN / UGC / AFPSmoke rising from artillery strikes on a hilltop outside Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The accusations came as Armenian separatists from Nagorno-Karabakh participated in peace talks with Azerbaijan after agreeing to disarm following a swift Azerbaijani military operation. 

Azerbaijan claimed to have regained control of the territory, ending decades of separatist rule, with the separatists consenting to disarmament in the face of clashes that reportedly resulted in the deaths of around 200 people.

Dilara Abdullayeva, representing Azerbaijan at the Human Rights Council, defended her country’s actions, stating that they were “forced to take local counterterrorism measures.” She emphasized that these measures were exclusively directed at illegal military formations and fortifications.

AP Photo/Siranush SargsyanA girl embraces her relative sitting in a shelter during shelling in the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been embroiled in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The hostilities have witnessed violations of human rights on both sides. 

Concerns have mounted regarding a potential new refugee crisis as the Armenian population of Karabakh fears displacement.