The following statement was released today by Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the fifth anniversary of the April 2016 "Four Day Artsakh War".

Five years ago, on the night of April 1 and 2, 2016, the Azerbaijani authorities, in flagrant violation of the commitment on ceasefire, launched a large-scale military offensive against Artsakh, attempting to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the use of force.

During the offensive, the armed forces of Azerbaijan deliberately targeted the civilian population and infrastructure. The four-day war against Artsakh was accompanied by cruel murders and torture of the servicemen and civilians of Artsakh, as well as mutilation of the bodies of the victims. Those who committed these crimes on the grounds of national hatred were later awarded by the Azerbaijani authorities at the highest level.

In the aftermath of the April war, inspired by the impunity of the committed war crimes and violations of human rights, the Azerbaijani authorities intensified their bellicose rhetoric and propaganda of hatred against Armenians.

This policy resulted in unleashing new military aggression by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in 2020 with the direct involvement of Turkey and the latter’s affiliated foreign terrorist fighters causing numerous irreversible human and material losses. A considerable part of Artsakh’s territory fell under Azerbaijani military occupation and tens of thousands of citizens became refugees. 

The large-scale wars unleashed against Artsakh in April 2016 and September 2020, as well as the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during those hostilities, demonstrated that Artsakh cannot be under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan, regardless of any status granted.

Only addressing the consequences of the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh and the determination of the status of Artsakh will serve as a basis for lasting peace and stability in the region. Armenia and the Armenian people will make every effort to fully restore all the rights of our compatriots in Artsakh for a free and dignified life in their historical homeland.