BAKU: The Ministry of Health in Azerbaijan has confirmed that 192 Azerbaijani troops lost their lives, while over 500 were wounded, during the recent military offensive in the Karabakh region. This revelation follows the conclusion of a week-long operation that successfully restored full control of the breakaway region to Azerbaijan.
Previously, Karabakh authorities had reported casualties on their side, with at least 200 individuals, including 10 civilians, killed, and over 400 wounded during the fighting.
Azerbaijan’s military operation marked a significant turning point in the long-standing conflict, leading to the return of the Karabakh region to Azerbaijani control. For nearly three decades, the area had been governed by Armenian separatists.
As a result of this shift in control, tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians have already left the region, and further departures are anticipated. This exodus comes after separatist forces agreed to lay down their arms and Azerbaijan lifted a 10-month blockade of the crucial road linking Karabakh to Armenia.
Azerbaijan Holds Talks With Separatists
In the wake of the military operations, Azerbaijan and separatist officials have engaged in two rounds of talks regarding the “reintegration” of Karabakh and its predominantly ethnic Armenian population into Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country.
Karabakh, a historically significant region of Azerbaijan, fell under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by the Armenian military, during the separatist conflict that concluded in 1994. The recent developments have brought the region back into the spotlight, as the international community closely monitors efforts to establish lasting stability and reconciliation in the region.
