Artsakh Strong

Nagorno-Karabakh, known in Armenian as Artsakh, has been the object of a protracted conflict between two nations of the south Caucasus since before the fall of the Soviet Union. The territory’s mostly Armenian inhabitants declared independence from Azerbaijan in late 1991, with Armenia’s support. Attempts by Azerbaijan to reimpose its authority led to a fight for ownership which turned into the bloodiest of the many conflicts that followed the fall of the Soviet Union.

In Armenia, this is seen as nothing less than a struggle for survival. The clear intentions made evident by Aliyev for possible extermination of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. These links are made with the 1915 Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Empire, especially in light of Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan.