Month: October 2021

Nagorno-Karabakh War: One year since Armenia, Azerbaijan’s last conflict

Arbi Tashjian

Sept 27 2021



By AARON REICH   

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 14:04

A still image from a video released by the Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry shows members of Azeri armed forces firing artillery during clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in an unidentified location, in this still image from footage released September 28, 2020
(photo credit: DEFENCE MINISTRY OF AZERBAIJAN/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

September 27, 2021, marks a year since the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, a conflict lasting a little over a month with severe geopolitical ramifications that continue to unfold.
The conflict is rooted in longstanding border disputes between the two Caucus-region neighbors. The Nagorno-Karabakh region was under Armenian control but claimed by Azerbaijan. Though the Azeri claim was recognized internationally, the region was de facto governed by the Armenian-backed breakaway state called Artsakh, also known as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two nations have fought before over the region, with a seven-year war breaking out between 1988 and 1994 before it was ended by a ceasefire. However, simmering tensions always remained high between the two countries.
On September 27, 2020, fighting erupted again between the two. Soon, martial law was declared and both sides began mobilizing their armies. 
The war itself was characterized by two notable factors: geopolitical complexity and the widespread use of drone warfare.

Armenian artillery is seen near Nagorno-Karabakh's boundary, April 8, 2016 (credit: REUTERS)

Drones were heavily used by the Azeri forces, compared to a comparatively greater emphasis on artillery by Armenia. This allowed the Azeris to inflict severe damage on Armenian tanks, defenses, artillery and personnel.
Using drones also gave the Azeris an edge in reconnaissance, allowing them a greater tactical advantage in outmaneuvering Armenian forces.
Both sides also utilized disinformation campaigns and cluster munitions – something banned by most countries but not by the two parties in question – including against civilian areas. 
In terms of geopolitical complexity, the conflict saw the involvement of many other regional and global powers. Specifically, Azerbaijan saw heavy support from Turkey, while Armenia saw considerable support from Russia, not to mention the alleged use of foreign mercenaries and militia groups.
ISRAEL CAME under particular criticism for its involvement. Although the Jewish state has strong ties with both nations, it was criticized for supplying military equipment and drones to the Azeri army.
Reports by Itai Anghel on Channel 12’s Uvda program, as well as an international arms sales report by SIPRI, illustrate how important Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan have been over the last decade.
Israel was the source of 69% percent of Azerbaijan’s arms imports over the last five years, the report said, and Anghel revealed the large role that Israeli drones like the Harop played in the war between Azerbaijan and Armenian fighters last year.
Azerbaijan was also believed to have utilized the Orbiter 1K, an Israeli drone made by Aeronautics which the Drone Databook in the US asserts was sold to the country in 2011. It is what is called a “loitering munition,” which means it is designed more like a cruise missile to slam into a target and self-destruct on impact. Some media call them “kamikaze drones” or “suicide drones.”
Due to disinformation efforts, it is unclear how many casualties were suffered by both sides, though it is estimated by many that they were in the low thousands, with Armenia suffering more casualties. Nonetheless, civilians on both sides suffered, with many having been displaced after civilian territories were struck by artillery and drones.

Ultimately, the war ended via a Russia-brokered ceasefire as the territory changed hands.
The war was considered largely a victory for Azerbaijan. The Azeri managed to liberate considerable territory that had been in Armenian hands since the 1990s. The end of the war saw widespread celebrations break out in Azerbaijan, while reactions in Armenia have been considerably less positive. 

Geopolitically, however, the war may have seen Azerbaijan win on the battlefield, but gave Russia control of the ceasefire and, as a result, control of the strategically important Lachin corridor, which in turn boosts Moscow's own presence in the region.
Beyond geopolitical implications, the war also showcased the relevance of drone warfare. Azerbaijan is an energy-rich nation, and as a result, its superior military budget gave it a significant advantage over Armenia.
However, this does not extend to just drone warfare.  As noted by British think-tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies, other factors may have played a role as well, such as a more professionalized Azeri army better adapted to modern warfare.
Overall, the Nagorno-Karabakh War was one of the first modern conflicts to truly showcase how drone warfare and modern tactics are changing the landscape of the battlefield. And as drones gain more prominence on the battlefield, especially in the Middle East, this may be the war's most significant implication going forward.
Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.



Armenia mourns one year since Azerbaijan’s invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh

Jack Hunanian
Sept 27 2021
by ATHENS BUREAU
000

Public Radio Armenia – One year ago today, Azerbaijan unleashed a large-scale offensive against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

In the early hours of September 27 the Azerbaijani units launched military actions along the entire length of the line of contact with Artsakh, employing the whole arsenal at their disposal.

In response, Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh introduced martial law and total mobilization.

Azerbaijan was heavily supported by Turkey throughout the hostilities.

The latter recruited mercenary terrorists from Syria to fights against the Armenian forces.

The fact was confirmed by international organizations and officials from different countries.

Two Syrians were eventually captured and sentenced to life in Armenia.

During the 44 days of fighting the parties agreed to cease the hostilities thrice with the mediation of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries – Russia, France and the US, but failed to abide by the ceasefire.

Heavy fighting continued until November 9, when the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan adopted a statement on ceasefire.

Under the document, Russian peacekeeping forces were deployed all along the line of contact.

According to latest update provided by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, 3,777 people were killed in the war, 3,702 of them military and 75 civilian.

One year after the start of the hostilities, some are still missing. According to Artsakh’s State Service of Emergency Situations, 1,670 bodies and remains have been retrieved, the search for the missing continues.

Azerbaijan is yet to fulfil its commitment to release all Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees.

On January 11, 2021 a second trilateral statement was adopted on the establishment of a working group co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan to discuss the unblocking of regional communication and transport links.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and diocesan cathedrals will serve a requiem ceremony at 10 am today, honoring those who died in the 2020 Artsakh war.

READ MORE: First meeting between Foreign Minister Dendias and Armenian counterpart Mirzoyan.


Armenia and Azerbaijan mourn dead on anniversary of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Tania Jagharian
EuroNews
Sept 27 2021
By Euronews with AFP 

Armenia and Azerbaijan have paid tribute to the thousands of victims of their conflict for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Commemorations were held in both countries to mark the first anniversary of the fresh outbreak of fighting.

Armenia and Azerbaijan each observed a minute's silence on Monday and held religious ceremonies.

"Our martyrs will remain forever in our hearts," said Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani president, in a speech to the nation.

Thousands of soldiers later marched through Baku, carrying portraits of their fallen comrades.

n Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan laid flowers at graves in a military cemetery in the capital Yerevan, and then visited a hospital for the war-wounded.

"I bow to the memory of the dead and their families," Armenian President Armen Sarkissian added on Facebook.

On Sunday evening, nearly 3,000 Armenians, carrying torches, also marched from central Yerevan to a memorial.

Conflict once again broke out over the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region last September, with each side accusing the other of being responsible.

More than 6,500 people were killed in the six weeks of fighting, which ended in a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement, granting Azerbaijan part of the enclave and surrounding areas.

Tensions have remained high between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and clashes regularly break out on the border, raising fears of a new conflict.

Armenia marks anniversary of Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

Emil Lazarian
Sept 27 2021
 27 September 2021

ByAni Avetisyan
Nikol Pashinyan at Yereblur military cemetery. Photo via Armtimes.

On the anniversary of the first day of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenian officials in the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have said that the conflict will not end until the question of status for the disputed region is settled.

The first anniversary of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was marked by a minute of silence at 11:00 in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Top Armenian officials, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, marked the day with a visit to the Yerablur military cemetery of Yerevan. President of Nagorno-Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan was also in Yerevan for a meeting with Pashinyan. 

The previous day, late in the evening, the leader of Armenia’s Armenia Alliance bloc, Robert Kocharyan also visited Yerablur.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has released a statement stressing that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not end until ‘the determination of the status of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)’ that takes into account the ‘realisation of the inalienable right to self-determination’ of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population, the return of Armenian refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh to their homes, and the ‘preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories falling under the Azerbaijani control’.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, released a statement underlining that they would not accept any status where they would come under Azerbaijani control. 

‘The foreign policy priorities of Artsakh continue to be the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, preservation of its status as a geopolitical subject, de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh, ensuring the continuation of the negotiation process with the full-fledged participation of Artsakh within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group’, the statement reads.

Podcasts on domestic violence and violence against women in Armenia

Emil Lazarian
Council of Europe
Sept 27 2021
YEREVAN 24/09/21

Armenian experts Lusine Sargyan and Gohar Hakobyan address these and many other questions related to violence against women in Armenia, its manifestations, its direct link to gender inequalities and the available legal support and social services. They also discuss international instruments on the topic, such as the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the Istanbul Convention) and state polices. 

The podcasts reached about 65,000 engagements on social media and other digital platforms, such as sound-cloud and anchor. 

You can learn more by hearing the podcasts in Armenian:

 Domestic violence in Armenia: its manifestations

 Gender inequality and gender-based violence

The podcasts are part of activities to increase awareness of the public on domestic violence and violence against women, its consequences, prevention and support mechanisms in Armenia. They were produced in the framework of the project “The Path towards Armenia's Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence”.

Recognizing the Armenian Genocide is the first step to stop the cycle of war

Ani Tigranian
Sept 27 2021

In memory of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, a CSUN student shares her family’s story to highlight the effects of intergenerational trauma caused by the Armenian Genocide.

Ofelya’s great grandmother Hayastan (left of first row) and great grandfather Vagharshak (right of first row), along with her grandfather Albert (boy in the back row holding the dog).

Jane Partizpanyan, Contributor
September 27, 2021

Many Armenians believed the recent war to be a continuation of the Armenian Genocide, as thousands of indeginous Armenians were marched out of their homeland by Turkish-backed Azerbaijani forces.

In order to understand the current climate in the region, one must understand its past.

As an Armenian immigrant from the village of Gyumri, Hunanyan knows firsthand the effects of intergenerational trauma and the importance of worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide, in which her family experienced deep tragedy and loss.

“The story I’m going to tell is from my dad’s side, it’s his grandma’s story. During the genocide she was a 17 or 18-year-old girl. My great-grandmother’s name was Hayastan. This was in 1918 when the genocide was still happening,” Hunanyan said.

Hayastan was confronted by a group of Turkish men, who forced her and other women to remove their clothing and dance. Around 40 women were killed. Some were kidnapped and others, in a fit of desperation, killed themselves hoping to escape imminent death and torture.

Hayastan was one of the women who was taken. While women around her were being killed and raped, she remained unharmed. When the head Pasha, a high-ranking Ottoman government official, saw her, he broke down in tears.

“When he saw my great-grandmother, he said, ‘I’m not going to hurt you because you look like my sister.’ He started crying and that’s how my great grandmother survived. He told a Turkish soldier to take her and cross the border to Armenia,” Hunanyan said.

Hayastan was terrified to share her story with her husband, fearing that he would reject her. She reunited with her uncle for a few days until she worked up the courage to see her husband, who accepted her story and embraced her with open arms. Sadly, Hayastan’s father was killed by Turkish soldiers.

“Every year during the anniversary of the genocide, my family always gets together and shares their stories with each other of how their relatives survived the genocide,” Hunanyan said. “Every year when I was in Armenia, we would go to the Armenian Genocide memorial statue with flowers. It’s important for us to respect the lives lost and to remember them.”

The genocide has left a massive void in Hunanyan’s family. She has family members scattered all over the world whom she has never met and likely never will. Her family has forever been torn apart.

“For sure I can say that complete healing can not happen. [My grandparents] still have not fully recovered from everything that happened to their parents. Even all of the Armenians today in the diaspora, they are not healed. They left their homes and became immigrants in foreign countries and saw different lives. Armenian families are not completely together,” Hunanyan said.

For Hunanyan, speaking of her family’s survival, and remembering others in her country who lost their lives, means that their memory won’t ever be forgotten. Recognizing the generational impact of the genocide is something she hopes everyone can realize.

“My grandfather and his children were affected psychologically and financially by the genocide. They lived in fear after the genocide and they had to work really hard to be able to live a good life,” she said.

President Joe Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2021 took Armenians one step forward to justice, as real change stems from acknowledging the past. But there is still much work to be done. Armenians hope that one day Turkey will recognize the role their ancestors played during the Armenian Genocide.

Although the recognition by the United States set an important example for other countries to follow, Armenians will never get real justice until their perpetrators choose to make peace with them. The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war is proof that history will repeat itself if change is not made.

“Hopefully one day [Turkey] will recognize the Armenian Genocide,” Hunanyan said. “For me that will mean that there is still justice in this world. That the guilty will be punished and that one day we will be able to see our old land. I feel like our generation will live to see that day.”

Palestinians challenge Armenian Patriarchate over Jerusalem land lease

Janet Ekmekjian
Sept 27 2021
The Armenian Patriarch’s decision to lease property to an American real estate developer has led to a crisis in Palestinian-Armenian ties in Jerusalem
Nourhan Manougian (R), the Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem, makes his way to the Church of the Nativity during the Epiphany celebrations, Bethlehem, West Bank, Jan. 18, 2020. - Musa al-Shaer/AFP via Getty Images
Daoud Kuttab
@daoudkuttab
September 27, 2021

Aside from the Orthodox, the Armenians are the oldest Christian community in Palestine. The nearly 1,000 Armenians live in the Armenian Quarter, which is located next to the Jewish Quarter, in the Old City of Jerusalem, where housing, school and other basic institutions are provided for the local community. The current religious leader of the Armenians and his real estate director are now embroiled in a row with the Palestinian leadership for leasing hitherto unused sensitive land next to the Jewish Quarter initially to the Israeli municipality for a parking lot.

The 10-year lease that required the Israelis to spend $2 million to clear rubble in order to prepare the parking lot is now said to have become a 99-year lease to Jewish Austrian businessman Danny Rubenstein, to convert it into a luxurious hotel that the patriarchate has admitted to and said it “will bring in a stream of hundreds of thousands of dollars that will provide financial stability for the cash-strapped church.”

Palestinian officials who contacted the patriarchate twice, to no avail, have now appealed to Armenia. On Sept. 22, a letter was sent by Ramzi Khoury, head of the Palestinian Higher Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, to Catholics of All Armenians Patriarch Karekin II calling land transactions in the Armenian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem a violation of international law, since the area inside the Old City is an “integral part of the Palestinian occupied territories” governed by relevant international resolutions.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has also been “urged to intervene,” according to a statement by the Higher Presidential Committee.

On Sept. 23, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting and urged Armenia to intervene to “protect the properties of the Armenian Church in the Old City and to stop any action that can affect its legal and historic status,” according to a statement by the official Petra news agency.

Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Sevan Gharibian and head of the real estate department Rev. Baret Yeretsian replied to the accusations and attacks by insisting that what was done would have a long-term benefit for the church.

A Sept. 22 statement issued by the chair of the Armenian Patriarchate Synod admitted that the church had indeed ratified an agreement for the long-term lease of the land plot known commonly as Cow’s Garden, stressing that this lease provides “a steady income of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to support the Armenian patriarchate.”

The statement signed by Father Samuel Aghazian admitted that a “luxurious hotel structure” would be built based on a long-term lease “without imposing any risk to the full and exclusive ownership of this land.”

It notes that “the title of the property will be finally registered with the Land Registry (Taboo) in the name of the patriarchate.”

The church also criticized the Islamic Waqf stating, “The development and construction of the property will establish and reinforce possession of the property and protect it against repeated attempts of trespassing by individuals and Waqf, as well as against potential expropriation and confiscation by [Israeli] municipal or government authorities that typically apply to vacant properties.”

Waqf officials in Jerusalem and Amman refused to comment on the accusation and preferred to deal quietly with the Armenian Church leadership.

Sources in Jerusalem who have asked not to be identified told Al-Monitor that Armenians in Palestine are unhappy with this case, with many refusing to go along with the patriarch. More significantly, it appears that the St. James Synod, which is the highest religious body in the church, has not met in three years and has not approved all these deals. This means that in fact the Synod is most likely opposed to these land deals that will cause unnecessary and long-term friction with the Palestinians and will side with Israel in the Palestinian-Israeli dispute over the occupied Old City of Jerusalem.

Israeli relations with the Armenians have fluctuated over the years. The Israelis have tried to propose affinity with the Armenians because the two communities combine religion with nationalism. On the other hand, Armenians have accused Israel of supplying weapons to Azerbaijan, which may have tilted the latest war over Nagorno-Karabakh in favor of the largely Muslim former Soviet country.

As for Sheik Jarrah and Silwan, the most recent land conflict in the occupied city of Jerusalem reflects a growing effort by Israel to make the holy city more Jewish, while Palestinians in Jerusalem, largely isolated and politically orphaned, are trying to clutch onto international law to preserve the city and to ensure it can one day become part of an independent Palestinian state.

‘Piece for Peace’: Artwork honors the fallen in war between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Garo Vardanian
Fox 11 Los Angeles
Sept 27 2021
By Araksya Karapetyan



Sept. 27th marks one year when the war began between Armenia and Azerbaijan. For 44 days that followed, thousands lost their lives, schools, medical facilities, cultural sites were destroyed, up to 100,000 people were displaced— and to this day over 200 Armenian POWs have not been released.

LOS ANGELES - Sept. 27 marks one year since the war began between Armenia and Azerbaijan. For 44 days that followed, thousands lost their lives, schools, medical facilities, cultural sites were destroyed, up to 100,000 people were displaced— and to this day over 200 Armenian POWs have not been released.

Through it all, the local community here in Los Angeles united in an incredible way— people mobilized quickly to raise funds and bring awareness.

Matt Donnan has been creating art with aluminum cans for years.

"I've always been fixated on how they managed to keep the label on there; the colors are so beautiful to me. You know it has always been my hope that the aluminum work could see could serve a greater good," said  Donnan.

His latest piece is of an Armenian soldier named Albert Hovhannisyan, and this has become something bigger than anything Donnan could have ever imagined.

Albert Hovhannisyan was a junior sergeant in the Armenian Army. This photo of him on the frontlines quickly became an iconic image. Hundreds of media outlets around the world used this very image while covering the 2020 Artsakh War. Sadly, not long after this picture was taken, he was killed. He was 19.

"When I posted that Albert had passed away, Matt contacted me and he wanted to provide his support for the cause and made a donation from himself and his family. So when I went over again to receive the donation, we were in his garage where he does most of his work and he offered to build a piece," said Andranik Taranyan.

Taranyan and Donnan have been friends for years and when the war started on Sept. 27, 2020, Taranyan became heavily involved in fundraising efforts. He was busy raising awareness, posting stories and updates about what was going on, while Donna followed along.

"It became evident to me that the world was willing to turn a blind eye. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that," said Donnan.

"This 19-year-old kid dressed in military garb, on the frontlines, putting his life on the line…. and it just seemed like we connected with that emotion right away and that's what we wanted— I wanted to bring it to life. For me really at the time, what kind of sparked my imagination was that we can use the art to bring awareness to what was going on," said Taranyan.

"Nobody was paying attention, nobody was watching. My motto is if nobody's listening I’m going to talk louder," Donnan added.

Togetther, they created an enormous piece, measuring 10 feet by 8 feet, using roughly 11,000 perfectly cut one-inch squares of 47 varieties of aluminum cans to bring Albert’s image to life.

This project "Piece for Peace" truly became a community effort. Donnan said seeing the community come together to bring their vision to life is something he will never forget.

"It's like building an enormous puzzle and that day that we held the event, 60 people came together to build the puzzle," Donnan explained.

"We probably spent over one thousand man-hours to finish the piece, we started mid-October and finished by mid-December right before the holidays," said Taranyan.

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"The portrait of Albert is a reminder to everyone of what happened in 2020; it is a reminder and a tribute to all the young lives. I feel hopeful, hopeful that the community can continue to come together," said Taranyan.

Recently, the public had an opportunity to see this piece during the local screenings of the documentary "45 Days: The Fight for a Nation." They’re still searching for a permanent location to display the artwork— somewhere where the general public can have access to it.

RELATED: '45 Days: A Fight For A Nation' documents what happened between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Artsakh

A candlelight vigil is planned Monday night to commemorate the 2020 Artsakh War, at 8 p.m. on North Artsakh Avenue in Glendale.

https://www.foxla.com/news/piece-for-peace-artwork-honors-the-fallen-in-war-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan

Artsakh pauses for a moment of silence

Hovsep Chakrian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 27 2021
September 27, 2021, 18:45

 Less than a minute

At 11am today a moment of silence was observed across the Republic of Artsakh.

Everyone in educational establishments, workplaces, streets was standing still for a moment in remembrance of those killed in the 2020 Artsakh War.

The Artsakh Public TV presents separate episodes without interpretation.

Watch the video at 

Open-air photo exhibition in Brussels to raise awareness about the brutal war against Armenians of Artsakh

Vardan Badalian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 27 2021
September 27, 2021, 17:07

 Less than a minute

AGBU Europe has partnered with local authorities in Brussels and with the Armenian community of Belgium on a campaign to raise awareness among the population of Brussels about the brutal war that struck the Armenian population of Artsakh last fall.

From September 27 to November 10, 2021 an open-air photo exhibition will be in display in the Flagey area, depicting the impact of the Artsakh war through the lens of photojournalists Roberto Travan from Italy and Olivier Papegnies from Belgium. 

A live performance event will also take place on Friday October 1 at 18:00.