Azerbaijan launches military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh

Azerbaijan launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 September 2023, using artillery and other forces against positions in the Armenian-populated enclave. Baku called the action “local anti-terrorist measures” and demanded the disarmament and dissolution of the de facto Armenian authorities.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but had been governed for decades by ethnic Armenian institutions after conflict and displacement. A Russian-brokered ceasefire ended the 2020 war, leaving peacekeepers and a reduced Armenian-controlled area. Legal sovereignty did not remove obligations to protect civilians during military operations.

The offensive followed months of restricted access along the Lachin corridor and severe shortages. Azerbaijan denied imposing a blockade and cited security concerns. Those disputed conditions require evidence from monitors and humanitarian organizations, not just statements by the parties.

Within about a day, the local authorities accepted a ceasefire involving disarmament talks. Casualty reports varied and should be separated by source and status. Armenia's armed forces said they were not participating directly, a relevant distinction from the 2020 interstate war.

The Karabakh chronology opens with the start of Azerbaijan's operation, not the later ceasefire or mass Armenian departure. It preserves internationally recognized geography while attributing contested terminology. Claims about specific violations or intent require incident-level investigation beyond the fact that large-scale force was used to change control.