Analysts announce presence of Azerbaijani security forces in Lachin

The security forces of Azerbaijan have entered the town of Lachin and the villages of Sous and Zabukh, but this has not yet been officially announced due to the delay in the opening of the alternative road between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, Baku analysts say. Russian peacekeepers stay in the Lachin Corridor until the traffic along the new road is open.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on August 11, Azerbaijan announced the completion of the construction of a road along the new route of the Lachin Corridor. However, since Armenia did not complete its section of the alternative road, the Azerbaijani side took it upon itself at the request of the Armenian community of Karabakh.

On August 5, the Karabakh authorities informed residents of the communities of Akhavno (the Azerbaijani name is Zabukh, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”), Sous, and Berdzor (the Azerbaijani name is Lachin, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) that they must leave their houses by August 25, since the Lachin Corridor will be transferred to Azerbaijan. Most of the residents of the settlements in the Lachin Corridor decided to settle in the Syunik Region of Armenia.

Shakhin Gadjiev, an editor of the “Turan” agency, explained the lack of official announcements about the transition of Lachin and two villages under the control of Baku by delaying the launch of the new road.

The editor of the “Turan” agency ruled out the possibility of any incidents in the Lachin Corridor, taking into account the entry of Azerbaijani security forces into its territory and the simultaneous use of the road by Armenians.

Togrul Djuvarly, a member of the Azerbaijan National Public Committee for European Integration, also believes that the Azerbaijani security forces already stay in the communities of Lachin, Zabukh, and Sous. According to Togrul Djuvarly, the Azerbaijani authorities have not announced that they will take control of Lachin on August 25.