Armenia PM signs agreement with Azerbaijan and Russia to end Nagorno-Karabakh war

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday, November 10 declared that he has signed a 'painful' agreement with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. His announcement came six weeks after the heavy fighting in which Azerbaijan’s forces have retaken land lost in a conflict between the two countries in the 1990s. The conflict has left hundreds of dead and forced thousands of ethnic Armenians to flee into Armenia.

According to the officials in Baku (Azerbaijan capital) on Monday it had seized dozens of more settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, a day after announcing victory in the battle for the enclave’s strategically positioned second-largest city, Shusha.

READ | Nagorno-Karabakh separatist govt confirms loss of key city

The agreement was the best possible solution

In an emotional Facebook post, Pashinyan said the agreement would be effective from 1 am on Tuesday (21:00 GMT on Monday), and will end six weeks of fierce fighting that has left hundreds of people dead. Defining the decision as 'unspeakably painful' for him and the people, Pashinyan said he took it after an in-depth analysis of the military situation that has seen Azeri forces make major gains and close in on Stepanakert, the region’s main city. Adding further Pashinyan said the agreement was the best possible solution to the current situation.

READ | People flee disputed area of Nagorno-Karabakh

Meanwhile, a Russian spokesman also said the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia had signed a deal on a complete stoppage of military actions over Nagorno-Karabakh. Further, the Armenian and Azeri forces have been fighting for six weeks in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenians since 1994.

READ |Azerbaijan claims seizing key Nagorno-Karabakh city

Minister Says Schools, Kindergartens Destroyed in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The education minister of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Lusine Karakhanyan, on Sunday, November 8, said that over 70 schools and more than 10 kindergartens have been destroyed in the fight that took place in the disputed region. Karakhanyan said this violates the right to education for over 30,000 residents of the republic. This includes 24,000 schoolchildren, 4,000 pupils of preschool institutions and various university students. 

READ | Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: Minister says over 70 schools, 10 kindergartens destroyed