Karabakh residents ask peacemakers to provide alternative link with Armenia

Residents of Nagorno-Karabakh should be able to drive to Armenia through the Azerbaijan-controlled territory, not only along the Lachin Corridor, protesters have claimed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that following the last autumn conflict escalation, Nagorno-Karabakh lost control over two-thirds of its territory. By December 1, 2020, Azerbaijani troops had occupied all the territories between Armenia and the unrecognized republic, except for the Lachin Corridor – now, the only transport route connecting Yerevan with Stepanakert.

On January 18, residents of Nagorno-Karabakh handed a letter over to the representative of the Russian peacemaking contingent addressed to General Rustam Muradov, in which they asked to provide passage to Armenia along the Martakert (the Azerbaijani name is Agdere)-Vardenis highway. Meanwhile, activists for some time blocked a section of the highway near the Karabakh village of Dmbon and stopped a convoy of Azerbaijani trucks, escorted by peacemakers, passing there, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The villagers noted that peacemakers were escorting trucks passing through their territory and insisted on giving them a similar opportunity. "The main protesters' demand is that Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh should also have a possibility of unhindered movement accompanied by peacemakers along those road sections that have passed under Azerbaijan's control," David Galstyan, an activist, has explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.