Armenian Forces Capture Kelbajar, Expanding Control
WarEcho Team news
Armenian forces capture Kelbajar district outside Nagorno-Karabakh, displacing 60,000 and drawing UN condemnation
Armenian forces launched a major offensive to capture the Kelbajar district, located between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh but outside the disputed region’s boundaries, marking a significant escalation.
Strategic Objectives
Kelbajar’s importance:
- Created wider corridor to Armenia
- Eliminated Azerbaijani salient
- Secured northern flanks
- Shortened supply lines
The Offensive
Armenian forces:
- Attacked from multiple directions
- Overwhelmed defenders
- Captured district in one week
- Advanced beyond Karabakh boundaries
Mass Displacement
- Fleeing civilians: ~60,000
- Route: Over snow-covered mountains
- Casualties: Hundreds died from cold
- Property: Abandoned permanently
International Response
UN Security Council Resolution 822:
- Demanded immediate withdrawal
- Reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
- Called for ceasefire
- No enforcement mechanism
Justifications
Armenian arguments:
- Military necessity
- Security buffer needed
- Response to blockade
- Self-defense
Azerbaijani position:
- Illegal occupation
- Ethnic cleansing
- Aggression beyond Karabakh
- War crimes
Turning Point
Kelbajar marked:
- Expansion beyond Karabakh
- International legal complications
- Massive displacement
- Hardened positions
Long-term Impact
- Occupied for 27 years
- Major obstacle to peace
- Symbol of expansion
- Eventually returned in 2020
#kelbajar
#military-offensive
#displacement
#un-resolution