Azerbaijan was compelled to take necessary measures on its sovereign territory: Turkish Foreign Ministry

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) – In launching counter-terror measures in the Caucasus’ Karabakh region on Tuesday, Azerbaijan found that it had to take necessary measures on its sovereign territory, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

"Azerbaijan has started an anti-terrorism operation exclusively targeting military elements today (Sept. 19) in response to the long-standing armed attacks and provocations carried out by illegitimate Armenian armed elements in the Karabakh region against Azerbaijani army personnel and security forces," the ministry said.

Azerbaijan found itself compelled to take necessary measures on its sovereign territory, because the legitimate and just concerns continually expressed on the situation on the ground since the end of the second Nagorno-Karabakh war of fall 2020 were not being addressed, the statement added.

"We believe that ensuring the continuation of the comprehensive negotiation process, which has been conducted diligently between Azerbaijan and Armenia up to this point, with a focus on achieving results, is the only way to establish peace, security, prosperity, and lasting stability in the region," it said

On Tuesday Azerbaijan launched "counter-terrorism measures" in the Karabakh region to uphold provisions outlined in the November 2020 trilateral peace agreement it signed with Russia and Armenia.

Steps were taken to "suppress large-scale provocations in the Karabakh economic region, to disarm and secure the withdrawal of formations of Armenia’s armed forces from our territories, neutralize their military infrastructure, provide the safety of the civilian population which returned to territories liberated from occupation, civilians involved in construction and restoration work and our military personnel, and ultimately restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the country's Defense Ministry said.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended with a Russia-brokered cease-fire.

Tensions between the two nations, however, continue despite ongoing talks aiming for a long-term peace agreement.​​​​​​​