On September 27th, Azerbaijani forces started a full-blown assault on the Karabakh border. Armenian authorities called for a total military mobilization in order to defend their country’s border.
In 1915, the Young Turks organized the mass-deportation of Armenians that was later known as the Armenian genocide. 1 500 000 million Armenians were killed at the hands of the Turks from 1915 to 1918.
This past week, Azerbaijan has launched many attacks on the Nagorno-Karabakh border. A war has broken out. The situation in Karabakh is the worst it has been in the last two and a half decades. It is not the first time Azeri aggressions had raised tensions in the region. The Turkish government has decided to back Azerbaijan by sending them aid to fight against Armenians. When one thinks about aid sent to a country in war, they may think about food, medical supplies, or weapons. However, Turkey is sending a different type of aid to Azerbaijan. Pro-Turk Syrian mercenaries who have been classified as terrorists because of their affiliations have been sent to the frontlines to combat Armenians and at least 64 of them have been killed in action. The Turkish government is pulling all the strings they can to make sure they can witness the downfall of Karabakh and even potentially the downfall of Armenia. Selcuk Bayraktar, Turkish drone engineer, confirmed on twitter that the drones being used to strike Armenian forces in Karabakh were made by his team and sent to Azerbaijan.
It is also important to note that Azerbaijan is unethically conducting their actions in this war. A few days ago, the Azeri forces starting intentionally shelling civilian locations in Karabakh. This act is a war crime and is against the Geneva Conventions, an international treaty which dictate the ethics of war that was set in place after World War 2. Many videos also show cluster munitions fired from artillery hitting Stepanakert, the capital city of Karabakh. Cluster shell munitions have also been deemed unethical and are their use is banned in war.
Now why are Armenians fearing a second genocide? It is because if Turkey and Azerbaijan both deployed their entire military force against Armenians at the Nagorno-Karabakh border, there would be no war left to fight. Severely outnumbered, the Armenians would be facing mass killing, thus resulting in a second genocide.
Not all hope is lost for the Armenians, in reality, all hope still remains. French President Emmanuel Macron publicly condemned the Turk and Azeri aggressions onto Armenians. He said he will not let any injustice be done to the Armenians on his watch.
It is uplifting to see a world superpower supporting Armenians, but the country needs all the support it can get. With the Turkic nations wrongfully attacking Armenians, it is almost like they are left to fend for themselves. But Armenians are known to fight with great grit. The mettle of the Armenian soldiers is unmatched. Chechen revolutionary Shamil Basayev himself said he has fought many battles, but the only battle he has lost was against the Armenians.
I have said this previously and I will state it again clearly; the pen is mightier than the sword, but in these dire moments it is the sword that we need.
Armen Agopian
ABAKAnews
