STEPANAKERT (RFE/RL) — President Serzh Sarkisian flew to Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday more than two weeks after the outbreak of heavy fighting around the territory that nearly escalated into a full-scale Armenian-Azerbaijani war.

The Armenian presidential press office released photographs of a uniform-clad Sarkisian arriving at the Stepanakert airport by helicopter and being greeted there by Bako Sahakian, the Karabakh president, and Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian.

Presidents Sarkisian and Sahakian hold consultations with supreme command staff of the Defense Army
Presidents Sarkisian and Sahakian hold consultations with supreme command staff of the Defense Army

A statement by the office said that Sarkisian and Sahakian met with the Karabakh Armenian army’s top brass later in the day. “A broad range of issues related to army building was discussed,” it added without elaborating.

The trip is clearly connected with the April 2 escalation of the Karabakh conflict sparked by an Azerbaijani offensive at two sections of the “line of contact” around Karabakh. At least 100 soldiers from both sides died in the ensuing fierce clashes stopped by a Russian-mediated ceasefire on April 5. The ceasefire is largely holding despite sporadic gunfire reported by both warring sides.

Sarkisian held an emergency session of Armenia’s National Security Council just hours after the outbreak of what was the worst fighting in the conflict zone since 1994. He said Armenia will bolster Karabakh’s security through a “treaty on mutual military assistance” that will be signed with the unrecognized republic soon.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Get notified of the latest updates from MassisPost.

You May Also Like

Armenia and Bulgaria to Further Expand Multidimensional Cooperation

SOFIA — Bulgaria is interested in the further expansion of multidimensional cooperation…

European Court Condemns Azerbaijan For Hailing Axe Murderer as National Hero

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), on Tuesday, announced a ruling…

Historian Taner Akçam Presents His New Book: \”The Young Turks\’ Crime Against Humanity

NEW YORK — Professor Akçam—an international authority on the Armenian Genocide, and…

Premeditated Murder with Exceptional Cruelty

Criminal proceedings have been initiated on the death of the Armenian citizen…