Online Editor Sandra Koretz comments on the ongoing conflict between Armenia And Azerbaijan.
By Sandra Koretz Credit: The Myraid News
Conflict ensues between Armenia and Azerbaijan
16 people died in a conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces on July 12. One of the individuals killed was an Azerbaijani general. Tensions again rose `between Armenia and Azerbaijan as conflict continues between the two countries.
Continuing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan since 1988
Armenian and Azerbaijani relations are tense following their attempt to depart from the Soviet Union. The countries are continuing to fight over a piece of territory called Nagorno-Karabakh. The piece of land is ethnically Armenian but internationally recognised as being Azerbaijani.
In 1988, high tensions in the regioncaused the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which ended in 1994. The conflict led to approximately one million people being displaced across the two countries and between 28 -38 thousand deaths. Since then, Armenia and Azerbaijan struggled to stay peaceful.
The ongoing conflict since 1994 is called the ‘bloodiest of all ongoing post-Soviet conflicts’. Relations continued to be tense since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and hostilities arise between the two countries frequently.
Protestors gathering in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan calling for war against Armenia in response to the conflict.
United Nations respond to the conflict between the countries
The United Nations Secretary-General responded to the recent conflict calling for peace.
“The Secretary-General urges an immediate end to the fighting and calls on all involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and refrain from provocative rhetoric,” said Stephanie Dujarric, spokesman to the Secretary-General.