Armenia made an urgent appeal on Saturday to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), drawing attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that has been under blockade by Azerbaijan for months.
The historic conflict, which roots back to the late 1980s, has seen both countries engaged in intense battles over the territory. Most recently in 2020, a significant conflict resulted in Armenian forces facing a defeat and Azerbaijan realizing significant territorial gains.
Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, accuses Baku of disrupting the movement through the Lachin corridor, a crucial mountainous route that connects Armenia to the Armenian-populated areas within the separatist pocket of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, communicated the urgency of the situation in a letter to the UNSC. He pointed out a “serious shortage” of essentials like food, medicine, and fuel in the predominantly Armenian-inhabited area.
Further, he highlighted the recurrent power outages and disruptions in gas supplies, affecting the livelihoods of those residing in this disputed pocket, which both Baku and Yerevan have vied for, for decades.
Margaryan raised alarming concerns, stating that the current conditions have led to increased deaths, especially among residents suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other severe health conditions. He warned, “The residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are on the brink of a real humanitarian catastrophe.”
Azerbaijan faces strong accusations from Armenia, which claims that Baku is deliberately creating intolerable living conditions for the enclave’s residents. Margaryan described the situation as a “collective brutal act” intended to force inhabitants to abandon their homes.
Armenia’s plea is for the intervention of the UN Security Council, considering its primary role in preserving global security.
The longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh between the two nations remains unresolved. The international community will be closely watching the developments and potential UNSC intervention to address this looming humanitarian crisis.
