Azerbaijan troops enter Aghdam after Armenia hands over Nagorno-Karabakh districts

On Friday, November 20, Azerbaijani forces entered the recently gained Aghdam district after Armenian troops left the territory a day earlier. As per reports, Azerbaijan has started retaking territories that Armenia conceded after the month-long war that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Armenia lost most of the controlled territories in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region and is preparing to hand them over to Azerbaijan as part of the deal. 

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Armenia and Azerbaijan were involved in an all-out war since September 27 after skirmishes between both sides turned hostile. The fighting lasted for over a month before a Moscow-brokered ceasefire agreement came into force on November 10. 

Russian peacekeepers have been deployed along the Nagorno-Karabakh region to uphold the ceasefire and according to Kremlin, the warring sides will also exchange prisoners of war, detainees, and dead bodies as part of the deal. The UN Commissioner for Refugee is overseeing the return of displaced people to Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent regions. 

Read: Kalbajar Residents Burn Homes Before Azerbaijan Handover

According to the deal, Armenia will hand over the Kalbajar district to Azerbaijan on November 25, and the Lachin district by December 1. Azerbaijan recently gave the Armenian side some time to withdraw from the Kalbajar district citing "humanitarian" concerns after Yerevan urged for a delay due to "damaged roads" in the area. 

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Armenians not happy with the deal

The outcome of the war has not gone down well with Armenians, who are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenians are viewing the ceasefire agreement and ceding of territories in the Nagorno-Karabakh region as Azerbaijan's victory. Ethnic Armenian villagers set their houses on fire before they left the territories that now belong to Azerbaijan. 

Armenia's foreign minister has already stepped down and if reports are to be believed the country's defence minister has also tendered resignation. Armenian President Armen Sarkisian has called on Pashinyan to resign and has demanded a snap election to lead the country out of the crisis. However, Pashinyan has refused to step down and has urged his countrymen to unite amid the turbulent times. 

Read: Azerbaijan Agrees To Give Armenians Until November 25 To Withdraw Its Troops From Kalbajar

(Image Credit: AP)