The Environmental Cost of Conflict

Nov 26, 2020 | Naghi Ahmadov
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On 9 November, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered agreement to end the military operations in Karabakh that had started on 27 September and inflicted massive losses on the Armenian side. According to the joint statement, the Armenians had to leave the occupied Kalbajar region by 15 November (later extended to 25 November), Aghdam region by 20 November and Lachin region by 1 December. While the peace deal guaranteed Azerbaijan’s victory and was thus a cause for great celebration in Azerbaijan, Armenians reacted with fury and deep frustration.

Despite the fact that the Armenians moved to these Azerbaijani regions only after their occupation in the war of the early 1990s, they found it unacceptable to hand those territories back to Azerbaijanis. Media reports showed Armenians in Kalbajar burning houses, cutting down trees, and setting fire to forests before they left the region. It has been reported that they did not shy away from burning down schools and hospitals and butchering the cattle. Unfortunately, these acts have not received an adequate reaction from the international institutions and NGOs that deal with environmental issues.