July 25 () –
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has demanded this Tuesday from Azerbaijan and Armenia a “humanitarian consensus” to allow the resumption of the passage of humanitarian convoys through the Lachin corridor, which connects Armenian territory with Nagorno Karabagh.
“Our humanitarian aid convoys are a lifeline for the population in this area,” said the ICRC’s regional director for Eurasia, Ariane Bauer, weeks after the last delivery of essential medical supplies and food.
Thus, the agency has explained that tens of thousands of people depend on humanitarian aid through these routes and has warned that civilians face shortages of basic products, while food prices are rising.
“Our concern is that, with the convoys being blocked, the humanitarian situation will deteriorate further. We are especially concerned about those who need help. The sick and people with chronic illnesses are at particular risk, as are the elderly and children,” Bauer said.
“In order to operate here, we need the parties to reach a humanitarian consensus. It is work that saves lives, and it must be allowed to continue,” he defended, after which the ICRC has insisted that it continue its bilateral dialogue with both parties to reach an agreement.
On the other hand, the ICRC has applauded the recent evacuation of 24 patients through the Lachín corridor and has estimated that more than 600 have been evacuated to receive urgent medical attention since December 2022.
The Azerbaijani authorities announced on July 11 the “temporary” suspension of traffic through a “border post” installed in April in the Lachin corridor — amid criticism from Armenia — after denouncing “smuggling” of mobile phones, chargers, cigarettes and other materials in ICRC vehicles.
For its part, the ICRC said that it “is aware of the concerns about the transport of unauthorized goods” in the Lachín corridor and stressed that it “does not support these activities”, although it stressed that “no unauthorized material has been found in any vehicle owned by the ICRC”.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have also exchanged in recent months numerous accusations of violating the 2020 ceasefire, which ended the Second Nagorno Karabakh War –after that of 1994–. The conflict ended in victory for Azerbaijan, which recovered territories taken by Armenia in the First Nagorno Karabagh War, including the important city of Shusha.
Since then, both countries have maintained various contacts to try to sign a peace agreement, although the talks have encountered various obstacles, including the situation around the Lachín corridor, which connects Armenia with the self-proclaimed republic of Arstaj. The area has the presence of Russian soldiers deployed as peacekeepers under the aforementioned ceasefire agreement.
