Hundreds of protesters gathered outside a government building in Armenia’s capital Yerevan after Azerbaijan announced the launch of a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Protesters reportedly brought flags from Nagorno-Karabakh and demanded more decisive action from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
N. Pashinyan, in turn, criticized calls for a “coup” in Armenia after the start of the elections.
“We must not allow certain people, certain forces to strike a blow against the Armenian state,” he said.
Tense situation in Yerevan as protesters demand #Armenia intervenes to end the ongoing Azerbaijani offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh pic.twitter.com/fAvfrrUBVG
– Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) September 19, 2023
According to Meduza, protesters also gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Yerevan and demanded that the so-called Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh take measures to protect the region’s residents.
On Tuesday, Azerbaijan, which launched “anti-terrorism operations” in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, demanded the “complete withdrawal” of Armenian forces from the region and stressed that it was a condition for peace.
BREAKING: The situation on Republic Square in Yerevan is extremely tense.
Citizens demand immediate measures from the government to protect Artsakh. pic.twitter.com/Rjs2Zmtk5C
– 301🇦🇲 (@301bras) September 19, 2023
“The only way to achieve peace and stability in the region is the unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and the elimination of the so-called (Armenian separatist) regime,” said the Baku Ministry of Defense in a statement. statement.
Azerbaijan also announced the opening of humanitarian routes to allow non-combatant residents of separatist Nagorno-Karabakh to flee hostilities. “In order to ensure the evacuation of residents from the risk zone, humanitarian corridors and reception points have been created on the Lačino road and in other directions,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. communicated.
Armenia on Tuesday denied having troops in Nagorno-Karabakh, populated by Armenians. “The Armenian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated and reaffirmed that the Republic of Armenia does not have an army in Nagorno-Karabakh,” the ministry said.
At the time, Russia called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to “end the bloodshed” and continue peace talks. Russia said it was in contact with Azerbaijan over its “anti-terrorism operations” in the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh region and called on all countries to respect ceasefire agreements. fire.
“We know what needs to be done to resolve the situation (…) to implement everything we have agreed on, not to provoke (…) to try to defuse the situation and work to find a solution “, said the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marija Zakharova. She said that “all steps towards a peaceful solution are set out in the agreements (negotiated by Moscow) signed in 2020-2022.”
Source: The Delfi
