Cease-fire Announced in Nagorno-Karabakh After Intense Fighting and Diplomacy

A cease-fire agreement has been reached between Azerbaijani officials and the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian region, scheduled to commence at 1 pm local time (0900 GMT) today. The accord was negotiated with the Russian peacekeeping force in the area and stipulates the withdrawal of Armenian military units and the disarmament of local defense forces.

The announcement follows a day of heavy artillery attacks by Azerbaijan, which referred to the action as an “anti-terrorist operation.” The shelling resulted in significant damage in the regional capital, Stepanakert, as well as multiple casualties.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan countered that his country has no troops in the region, describing Azerbaijan’s claims as false. Russian peacekeepers have evacuated more than 2,000 civilians, although their destination remains undisclosed.

Concerns are growing that the conflict may escalate into a full-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, renewing hostilities over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region. The latest eruption in violence comes as both nations have accused each other of violating a 2020 armistice agreement.