Azerbaijan-Armenia: Armenian Leader seeks US intervention

Hostilities reportedly increase between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a decades-long territory dispute continues, with civilians being targeted by Armenian-backed separatist forces, responsible for destroying an airbase in Ganja on Sunday.

According to reports, Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan has reportedly sought an intervention from the United States (US) President, Donald Trump over Turkey’s role in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Trump is in quarantine after having tested positive for Coronavirus, COVID-19, earlier.

Nikol Pashinyan, reportedly, engaged in a telephonic conversation with President Trump’s security advisor, Robert O’Brien, on Thursday to seek aid from the US. The PM reportedly argued as to the lack of US intervention in stopping Turkey, with regards to their use of American-made F-16 jets against Armenian forces. Following which, reports of heavy clashes surfaced, in and around the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. According to reports, the area which legally belongs to Azerbaijan but is controlled by Armenia for the past three decades, has faced many military clashes in the past. However, the recent outbreak of clashes between the two has resulted in Pashinyan seeking US intervention to stop Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan, which is considered its ethnic ally.

Cities Under Fire as Armenia-Azerbaijan Fighting Intensifies

According to reports, Azerbaijan’s second largest city of Ganja, along with the disputed territory, were reportedly attacked on Sunday. Azerbaijan’s government officials said that Armenia launched missiles into their residential areas, meanwhile Armenia continued to deny the claims. It is to be noted that one civilian has been reported dead by the Azerbaijani officials while thirty-two have been reported injured.

Defense Minister for Azerbaijan, Zakir Hasanov, issued the following statement to the Associated Press, “Opening fire on the territory of Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia is clearly provocative and expands the zone of hostilities”. Meanwhile, Hikmet Hajiyev who is serving as an aid to the President of Azerbaijan, termed the rising escalation and hostilities a “threat to regional peace and security”. Taking to social networking website, Twitter, he wrote, “Azerbaijan retains its right to take adequate measures against legitimate military targets to defend civilians”.

It is to be noted that as hostilities connected to the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, are on the rise, both states formerly Soviet republics, continue to stake territorial claim. The clashes, however, have managed to engage other allies including Turkey, which has pledged unwavering support for Azerbaijan.

It it to be noted that Arayik Harutyunyan, leader of the Nagorno-Karabakh, tweeted “as an act of self-protection, in response todays long deliberate shelling”, he ordered the bombing of military facilities in Ganja, Azerbaijan. Moreover, while both sides engage in a blame game, Azerbaijan has vowed to take back Nagorno-Karabakh” amidst support from Turkey.