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The Security Council Security Council Situation Report 16 October 2023
Situation Report on Matters Pertaining to International Peace and Security
This update complements the background guide published in the AMUN Handbook. For a more comprehensive background on the situation in The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, please refer to the 2023 AMUN Handbook Security Council section on the The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
On 19 September Azerbaijan launched what it called “local counter-terrorism activities” against the Nagorno-Karabakh region controlled by Armenian separatists. In a session of the Security Council on 21 September, Azerbaijan claimed the measures were necessary due to the security threat posed by the Armenian separatists. They cited the Armenian government’s continued military support, including heavy weapons, for the breakaway region, as well as the recent deaths of Azerbaijani police in an explosion, which Azerbaijan blamed on mines placed by Armenian saboteurs. At the same session, Armenia condemned the Azerbaijani attack, calling it the culmination of a ten-month blockade of the region and the closure of the Lachin Corridor, and accused Azerbaijan of starving the people in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 21 September, amid protests over its handling of the situation, the Armenian government accepted Azerbaijan’s demands that local Nagorno-Karabakh forces be disarmed. Armenia also agreed to withdraw Armenian military forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, Armenia consistently denied and continues to deny having military forces in Nagorno-Karabakh before the Azerbaijani military action. As part of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan agreed to work with Russian peacekeepers in the region to disarm Nagorno-Karabakh forces. Armenian casualties as a result of Azerbaijan’s military activity were reported as between 32 and 200; the number of civilian casualties as part of that total were not verified. On 28 September the ethnic Armenian leader of Nagorno-Karabakh announced he signed a decree that all state institutions would be dissolved on 1 January, 2024.
After the surrender of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan announced it wished to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh as “equal citizens.” Due to the history between Armenia and Azerbaijan, analysts expected few Armenians would accept Azerbaijan’s offer. Over the next week, an estimated 120,000 ethnic Armenians, almost the entire population of the region, left for Armenia. Due to the scale of the refugee situation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) began working with the Armenian government to provide assistance. With the permission of Azerbaijan, a United Nations team representing multiple agencies visited the region to observe and report on the situation. The team reported it saw no damage to civilian infrastructure, such as schools or hospitals, and the Azerbaijani government appeared to be preparing to resume the provision of health services and utilities. The team also noted it did not come across any reports of violence against civilians following the ceasefire while interviewing the local population. Despite these assurances, the team estimated that only between 50 and 1,000 ethnic Armenians remain in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Bibliography
Aid enters Nagorno-Karabakh as Armenia separatists lay down weapons (23 September 2023). Al Jazeera.
Armstrong, Kathryn (28 September 2023). Nagorno-Karabakh state will cease to exist in January, says leader. BBC News.
Armstrong, Kathryn, and Nataliya Zotova (26 September 2023). Nagorno-Karabakh: Thousands flee as Armenia says ethnic cleansing under way. BBC News.
Gunter, Joel (3 October 2023). Deserted Nagorno-Karabakh reveals aftermath of lightning-fast Armenian defeat. BBC News.
Karabakh emergency escalates, thousands still pouring into Armenia: UN agencies (29 September 2023). UN News.
Kirby, Paul (21 September 2023). Azerbaijan halts Karabakh offensive after ceasefire deal with Armenian separatists. BBC News.
United Nations Security Council (21 September 2023). Latest Clash between Armenia, Azerbaijan Undermines Prospects of Peace, Speakers Warn Security Council, Calling for Genuine Dialogue to Settle Outstanding Issues.
UN mission arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh as ethnic Armenian exodus nears end (1 October 2023). Reuters.
UN team completes mission to Karabakh (2 October 2023). United Nations Azerbaijan.
United Nations Documents
United Nations, Security Council (2023). Letter dated 13 September 2022 from the Permanent Representative of Armenia. S/PV.9422.
Situation Report on Matters Pertaining to International Peace and Security
This update complements the background guide published in the AMUN Handbook. For a more comprehensive background on the situation in The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, please refer to the 2023 AMUN Handbook Security Council section on the The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
On 19 September Azerbaijan launched what it called “local counter-terrorism activities” against the Nagorno-Karabakh region controlled by Armenian separatists. In a session of the Security Council on 21 September, Azerbaijan claimed the measures were necessary due to the security threat posed by the Armenian separatists. They cited the Armenian government’s continued military support, including heavy weapons, for the breakaway region, as well as the recent deaths of Azerbaijani police in an explosion, which Azerbaijan blamed on mines placed by Armenian saboteurs. At the same session, Armenia condemned the Azerbaijani attack, calling it the culmination of a ten-month blockade of the region and the closure of the Lachin Corridor, and accused Azerbaijan of starving the people in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 21 September, amid protests over its handling of the situation, the Armenian government accepted Azerbaijan’s demands that local Nagorno-Karabakh forces be disarmed. Armenia also agreed to withdraw Armenian military forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, Armenia consistently denied and continues to deny having military forces in Nagorno-Karabakh before the Azerbaijani military action. As part of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan agreed to work with Russian peacekeepers in the region to disarm Nagorno-Karabakh forces. Armenian casualties as a result of Azerbaijan’s military activity were reported as between 32 and 200; the number of civilian casualties as part of that total were not verified. On 28 September the ethnic Armenian leader of Nagorno-Karabakh announced he signed a decree that all state institutions would be dissolved on 1 January, 2024.
After the surrender of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan announced it wished to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh as “equal citizens.” Due to the history between Armenia and Azerbaijan, analysts expected few Armenians would accept Azerbaijan’s offer. Over the next week, an estimated 120,000 ethnic Armenians, almost the entire population of the region, left for Armenia. Due to the scale of the refugee situation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) began working with the Armenian government to provide assistance. With the permission of Azerbaijan, a United Nations team representing multiple agencies visited the region to observe and report on the situation. The team reported it saw no damage to civilian infrastructure, such as schools or hospitals, and the Azerbaijani government appeared to be preparing to resume the provision of health services and utilities. The team also noted it did not come across any reports of violence against civilians following the ceasefire while interviewing the local population. Despite these assurances, the team estimated that only between 50 and 1,000 ethnic Armenians remain in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Bibliography
Aid enters Nagorno-Karabakh as Armenia separatists lay down weapons (23 September 2023). Al Jazeera.
Armstrong, Kathryn (28 September 2023). Nagorno-Karabakh state will cease to exist in January, says leader. BBC News.
Armstrong, Kathryn, and Nataliya Zotova (26 September 2023). Nagorno-Karabakh: Thousands flee as Armenia says ethnic cleansing under way. BBC News.
Gunter, Joel (3 October 2023). Deserted Nagorno-Karabakh reveals aftermath of lightning-fast Armenian defeat. BBC News.
Karabakh emergency escalates, thousands still pouring into Armenia: UN agencies (29 September 2023). UN News.
Kirby, Paul (21 September 2023). Azerbaijan halts Karabakh offensive after ceasefire deal with Armenian separatists. BBC News.
United Nations Security Council (21 September 2023). Latest Clash between Armenia, Azerbaijan Undermines Prospects of Peace, Speakers Warn Security Council, Calling for Genuine Dialogue to Settle Outstanding Issues.
UN mission arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh as ethnic Armenian exodus nears end (1 October 2023). Reuters.
UN team completes mission to Karabakh (2 October 2023). United Nations Azerbaijan.
United Nations Documents
United Nations, Security Council (2023). Letter dated 13 September 2022 from the Permanent Representative of Armenia. S/PV.9422.