The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan dates back to the 18th century. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, it escalated into a war that claimed many lives and led to mass exodus. A ceasefire in 1994 ended the fighting, but a peace agreement was never reached.
Nagorno-Karabakh remained a 'frozen' conflict as the region's independence, secured militarily by Armenia, was not recognised internationally. In September 2020, Azerbaijan launched an offensive to retake the occupied territories. A ceasefire brokered by Russia in November 2020 led to new border demarcations. Despite the ceasefire, clashes continued.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan gained military control over the entire region, which led to the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Many of them are now living with relatives or in temporary refugee shelters across the country.
On 1 January 2024, the Nagorno-Karabakh region was dissolved by Azerbaijan.
