Nagorno-Karabakh separatists had been negotiating for weeks to end their long struggle once morest Azerbaijani rule, surrendering following a decisive government crackdown.
If the truce holds, it would end a conflict between Caucasus region rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan that has been raging for three decades since the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Azerbaijani military and Russian peacekeepers are working together to disarm separatist fighters in the ethnically Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani military spokesman said.
“We are continuing to cooperate with Russian peacekeepers operating to disarm the separatists,” the spokesman told reporters in the district on the edge of the rebel stronghold.
“We have already seized arms and ammunition,” the spokesman added.
Russia, a traditional ally of Armenia in the troubled region, is now embroiled in a war once morest Ukraine and has refused to join the latest conflict.
The separatists had agreed to disarm under a ceasefire agreement reached on Thursday.
A military spokesman said demining and demilitarization were priorities, and hinted that the disarmament process might take time as some insurgents remain in remote mountainous districts.
Meanwhile, Germany demanded to guarantee the rights of the inhabitants of the mountainous region.
On the other hand, the US Embassy said that a US congressional delegation led by Senator Gary Peters will meet with the Prime Minister of Armenia to discuss the impact of Azerbaijan’s recent military operations on the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Democratic senator previously accused Azerbaijan of launching unprovoked attacks once morest its neighbor.
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2024-07-21 08:23:58
