What to Know About the Conflict Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Military forces from Armenia and Azerbaijan are currently fighting over the area of Nagorno-Karabakh, with many assessing the situation as the worst it’s been in more than 25 years. As of Wednesday, the fighting showed zero indication of slowing down, with ensuing clashes—at the time of this writing—having already resulted in hundreds of deaths. 

The independence of the region in the South Caucasus, referred to as Artsakh by Armenians, is not recognized by Azerbaijan. And while a ceasefire in 1994 brought the Nagorno-Karabakh War (known as the Artsakh Liberation War in Armenia) to an end back then, recent tensions have many worried that another war is possible thanks in part to what some have argued was pandemic-inspired “diplomatic silence” from other international powers when early warning signs started popping up over the summer.

For everyday people in the States, it’s all a lot to take in—particularly given the somewhat limited news coverage this issue has been getting due to ongoing pandemic concerns amid an already-contentious presidential election year. Thus, we’ve put together a few key bits of info regarding Armenia and Azerbaijan’s current situation below.