Azerbaijan has taken control of new heights on the border with Armenia. Comments from Baku
Entrance to old Lachin corridor closed
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan reports that the army has taken control of several dominant heights, main and auxiliary roads, and various areas on the border with Armenia. This is due to the complete closure of the old Lachin corridor and the launch of a new alternative road.
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According to the Azerbaijani side, there was a redeployment of the armed forces in connection with the closure of the old Lachin corridor. Experts say that the Azerbaijani army is located on the heights from which the traffic on the new road connecting Armenia with Karabakh is easily controlled.
What happened?
According to the terms of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, within three years a new road was supposed to connect Armenia with Karabakh, differing in its route from the old Lachin corridor. The former Lachin corridor passed through the city of Lachin and the settlements of the Lachin region, which returned to Azerbaijan as a result of the second Karabakh war.
On August 1, 2022, Azerbaijan announced the commissioning of a new Lachin road, and the need to evict the Armenian population from the city of Lachin and the villages of Zabukh and Sus. According to official Baku, the Armenian side, in the course of bilateral contacts, asked that the date of commissioning of the new road be postponed until August 25. On the same day, a new road was launched.
Despite the fact that the new Lachin road was ready, no new road was built from Armenia to the border with Azerbaijan for the movement of vehicles. Yerevan says the new road will be ready on April 1, 2023.
Today, on March 30, Azerbaijan completely blocked the entrance from Armenia along the old Lachin corridor, and the establishment of border posts began.
Expert opinions
According to military expert and retired colonel Shair Ramaldanov, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces periodically strengthen their positions “both on the conditional border with Armenia and on the territory controlled by the Russian peacekeeping contingent”:
“The escalation of tension in Karabakh, as well as the fact that Armenia is avoiding signing a peace treaty in every possible way, is forcing Azerbaijan to take additional steps. Despite numerous signals about the transfer of weapons from Armenia to Karabakh, no measures were taken by the peacekeepers.
For this reason, a special operation was carried out to close the bypass roads through which the Armenians could transport weapons and ammunition. Now all these roads are under the control of the Azerbaijani army.”
Ramaldanov noted that while earlier “5-6,000 Armenian militants were present in Karabakh, now there are no less than 10,000 of them.” “These operations have completely closed the way to provide illegal gangs on the territory of Azerbaijan,” he added.
Military expert Alparslan Imamgulu said that the territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan after the last deployment are important for the disarmament of illegal military formations:
“Control over the dominant heights near the villages of Jagazur and Zabuh, as well as nearby roads, is of great importance. This will allow the Azerbaijani army to control almost all territories through which enemy groups could move.”
Another military expert, Adalat Verdiyev, stressed that these operations of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces would lead to “a logical outcome – the creation of checkpoints along the entire border with Armenia”:
“The current redeployment of the army will allow Azerbaijan to control not only all the roads in the Lachin region, but also the border areas of Armenia.”
“Borders must be tightly controlled”
Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov also expressed his opinion on the ongoing changes in Karabakh and the border areas with Armenia.
“One of the main tasks of any state is to protect its borders. This is the case in all countries. To protect themselves from a wave of migrants from Mexico, the American authorities built an iron wall six meters high,” he said.
According to Zulfugarov, peacekeepers do not guard borders anywhere in the world:
“Peacekeepers are authorized only to protect security. Everything else – entry into the country, exit from the country, border and customs control, sanitary services – is not their job. These functions, as expected, will be performed by representatives of the state structures of Azerbaijan within the framework of the laws of the country.
In this case, the argument of the Armenians about the blockade will automatically disappear. There will simply be control, and those who do not violate the laws will freely pass through the border.
Since then, the Armenians have become accustomed to the fact that this territory does not belong to Azerbaijan, and they can move around as they wish. But this is no longer possible. As President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated, they either stay and live according to the laws of Azerbaijan, or leave.
I suppose that at first the exit from the country for the Karabakh Armenians will be in a simplified manner. Everyone who does not want to live under the laws of Azerbaijan will leave.”
