Azerbaijan has announced a significant intensification of hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, raising grave concerns about the potential outbreak of a full-scale war.

In a statement issued by the defense ministry of the South Caucasus nation on Tuesday, authorities disclosed the commencement of “localized anti-terrorism operations” aimed at quelling “major provocations” within the ethnically Armenian-controlled territory.

The statement elaborated on the measures, which include targeting frontline positions, entrenched firing positions held by Armenian armed forces, and military infrastructure, employing precision weaponry.

Local media reports indicate the activation of air raid sirens in Stepanakert, the de facto capital of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh state.

Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, informed that the objective is to disable military infrastructure. He also mentioned that the local Armenian population has received SMS notifications advising them about “counter-terrorism operations” and urging them to maintain a safe distance from legitimate military targets.

In 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a brutal conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. A ceasefire, brokered by Russia, subsequently collapsed, with Azerbaijani forces gaining control of the sole access route, effectively impeding humanitarian assistance and raising concerns of potential “ethnic cleansing.

Source: with agencies