In a move that has raised alarms in the international community, Azerbaijan has launched what it describes as an “anti-terrorist operation” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, targeting Armenian military positions. Reports from officials in the area indicate a barrage of heavy artillery fire in the vicinity of the region’s capital.

The commencement of this operation by the Azerbaijani defense ministry comes on the heels of a tragic incident in which four soldiers and two civilians lost their lives due to landmine explosions in Nagorno-Karabakh. This development has stoked concerns that a full-scale conflict over the disputed region may reignite, reigniting hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, who engaged in a protracted and devastating six-week war in 2020.