Knowledge (XXG)

Line of Contact (Nagorno-Karabakh)

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276:: "The dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh remains unresolved. Consular support is not available in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Although a ceasefire has been in place since May 1994, the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani territory occupied by Armenian forces are closed. There are no peacekeeping forces separating the sides. There are regular exchanges of sniper fire and some skirmishes. The border areas between Armenia and Azerbaijan also contain mines and unexploded ordnance. Any foreigners venturing within 5km of these borders are liable to be stopped by the police or the military." - 6 April 2020 282: 163:. There was also a relatively large no-man's land after the ceasefire which was several kilometers wide in some places. It was reduced to a few hundred meters in most areas of the line of contact due to Azerbaijani redeployments into the former neutral zone. In 2016, there were around 20,000 men on each side of the heavily militarized line of contact. Since the ceasefire the line of contact had become a heavily militarized, fortified and mined 268: 254: 20: 673: 290:: "Regular armed clashes occur in the buffer zone between the closed Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the ceasefire line. Conflict also occurs in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding military zone. All these areas have unmarked landmines. If, despite our advice, you travel to these areas, get professional security advice." - 8 June 2020 681: 262:: "Casualties continue to occur in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Intermittent gunfire and occasional use of artillery systems, including land mines and mortars, result in deaths and injuries each year. Avoid roads near the ‘line of contact’ and roads near the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan." - 7 August 2020 234:
According to Kolosov and Zotova (2020), "the deployment of military units along the separation line, the special regime of the border zone on both sides, constant skirmishes, and the destruction during the war and immediately after it of a number of cities and other settlements turned the border
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For the first time since the 1990s, Azerbaijani forces managed to regain control of small parts of the territory surrounding Karabakh – the first time the Line of Contact has shifted. Although these changes do not significantly alter the parties' military predicament on the
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For the first time since the 1990s, Azerbaijani forces managed to regain control of small parts of the territory surrounding Karabakh – the first time the Line of Contact has shifted. Although these changes do not significantly alter the parties' military predicament on the
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The separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh, whose principal backers are Armenia and Armenian diaspora groups in Southern California and elsewhere, characterized the fighting as the first time since 1994 that all types of heavy weaponry were being used along the front
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observers, headed by Andrzej Kasprzyk of Poland. There were exchanges of fire virtually on a daily basis. There had been significant violations of the ceasefire on various occasions, usually characterized by low-intensity fighting. Significant fighting
242:, all of 150,000 Karabakh Armenians are "within reach of Azerbaijani missiles and artillery shells", while around twice the number of Azerbaijanis (300,000) "live in the 15km-wide zone along the Azerbaijani side of the line of contact." 203:, "Although slivers of territory changed hands for the first time since 1994, little of strategic significance appears to have altered on the ground." The 2016 clashes also marked the first time since the 1994 ceasefire that heavy 1185: 113:. Armenian forces later withdrew from almost the entirety of Karabkh territories that it remained in control of as part of the 2020 ceasefire agreement, officially ending the existence of the Line of Contact. A new 758: 305: 1193: 579: 1096: 1207: 191: 851: 766: 140:
encouraged the Armenian side to avoid the term "line of contact", instead calling it a "state border" between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. Independent journalist and author
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The line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces is a well-defined trench system, which experiences only occasional violations of the cease-fire regime.
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between the two forces. The length of the line of contact was between 180 kilometres (110 mi) and 200 kilometres (120 mi) until 2020.
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writes of it as a state border of Azerbaijan and Artsakh and notes that it is called the "line of contact" in international lexicon.
1219: 1114: 1050: 958: 500: 341: 950: 836: 208: 98: 1000: 732: 300: 196: 60: 1025: 475: 1304: 1138: 412:"Twenty years after the Nagorny Karabakh ceasefire: an opportunity to move towards more inclusive conflict resolution" 1215: 1189: 873: 239: 72: 977: 784: 452: 912: 180: 102: 711: 1299: 101:, when Azerbaijan recaptured some hectares of territory. The Line of Contact effectively dissolved during the 817: 654: 602:"Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Ceasefire Agreement" 388: 220: 68: 601: 788: 456: 891:
The 'line of contact' between Azeri and Armenian forces is a trench system reminiscent of World War One.
616:...the perpetual threat of escalating violence along the international border and the Line of Contact... 64: 1247: 358:"David Simonyan: Surrender of territories to Azerbaijan: Consequences for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh" 226:
addressed the nation, he stated, "There is no status quo. There is no line of contact. We smashed it."
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The term "Line of Contact" was widely used in official documents and statements, including by the
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that ended the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–94). During its existence, the mountain range of
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then existed between the remaining Artsakhi zone in the former Autonomous Oblast controlled by
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The line of contact was, immediately after the ceasefire, a "relatively quiet zone with
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For the first time since the 1994 ceasefire, the front line slightly shifted during the
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In Azerbaijan, the "line of contact" is often referred to as the "line of occupation".
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The Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact (1994–2020) in red, with the largely unguarded
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But despite the ceasefire, low-scale fighting continued along the line of contact.
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Secessionist Rule: Protracted Conflict and Configurations of Non-state Authority
184: 183:). The trenches along the line of contact were extensively compared to those of 168: 156: 90:(Mrav) was the northern part of the line of contact and essentially served as a 16:
Line separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
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Engaging Eurasia's Separatist States: Unresolved Conflicts and de Facto States
931: 908: 137: 56: 1060: 575: 510: 1153: 287: 204: 1005: 736: 606: 564:"Facing Military Debacle, Armenia Accepts a Deal in Nagorno-Karabakh War" 87: 24: 886: 1186:"Armenia's Change of Leadership Adds Uncertainty over Nagorno-Karabakh" 1115:"Fighting Between Azerbaijan and Armenia Flares Up in Nagorno-Karabakh" 927: 812: 792: 460: 176: 543:
Silahlı Qüvvələrimiz tərəfindən 2000 hektardan artıq ərazi azad edilib
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peacekeepers and the recaptured Azerbaijani territories until 2024.
552:// Official site of Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, 18 May 2016. 1042: 628: 492: 18: 1001:"Nagorno-Karabakh violence: Worst clashes in decades kill dozens" 611: 835:. Eurasian Research and Analysis (ERA) Institute. Archived from 833:"Eight Things You Need to Know About Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict" 370:
the northern flank – by the hard-to-access Mrav mountain range
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The line of contact was regularly monitored by a group of six
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and lightly armed soldiers sitting in trenches", according to
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Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh
905:"Nagorno-Karabakh: Trying to Separate Fact from Fiction" 733:"Nagorno-Karabakh's cocktail of conflict explodes again" 806:
Bagirova, Nailia; Mkrtchyan, Hasmik (4 April 2016).
1139:"President Ilham Aliyev addressed the nation VIDEO" 1086:"The Nagorny Karabakh Conflict: Defaulting to War" 926:Cristescu, Roxana; Paul, Amanda (15 March 2011). 674:"Հայաստան-Ադրբեջան սահմաններն ու "սահմանադռները"" 1152:Kolosov, Vladimir A.; Zotova, Maria V. (2020). 850:Toal, Gerard; O'Loughlin, John (6 April 2016). 1035:European Union Institute for Security Studies 485:European Union Institute for Security Studies 8: 109:including capturing parts of the original 1169: 427: 323: 321: 77:2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement 1070:from the original on 21 September 2017. 443: 441: 439: 871:Lynch, Dov (2001). "Frozen Conflicts". 317: 235:territories into an economic desert." 1158:Geography, Environment, Sustainability 1154:"Multiple borders of Nagorno-Karabakh" 650:"Ոչ թե շփման գիծ, այլ՝ պետական սահման" 562:Kramer, Andrew E. (10 November 2020). 82:It was formed in the aftermath of the 723: 721: 582:from the original on 11 November 2020 59:which separated Armenian forces (the 7: 1310:2020 disestablishments in Azerbaijan 1295:Geography of the Republic of Artsakh 1102:from the original on 8 October 2020. 704:"Results of the Armenian aggression" 27:(Mrav) mountain range in the north. 1113:Kramer, Andrew E. (2 April 2016). 978:"The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh" 520:from the original on 21 March 2018 136:Some Armenian analysts, including 111:Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast 14: 1220:United States Department of State 1238:"Foreign travel advice: Armenia" 951:United States Institute of Peace 648:Jamalyan, Davit (26 July 2012). 280: 266: 252: 903:Kucera, Joshua (8 April 2016). 382:Elbakyan, Edgar (16 May 2014). 364:. 21 April 2009. Archived from 1192:. 19 July 2019. Archived from 1009:. 3 April 2016. Archived from 429:10.1080/23761199.2014.11417295 209:2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 99:2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 1: 680:(in Armenian). Archived from 629:"Ոչ թե շփման գիծ, այլ սահման" 610:. 11 May 2014. Archived from 392:(in Armenian). Archived from 384:"Արցախի տարածքն անբաժանելի է" 61:Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army 1024:Simão, Licínia (June 2016). 785:"Dangerous Days in Karabakh" 637:(in Armenian). 9 March 2011. 474:Simão, Licínia (June 2016), 211:saw use of heavy artillery, 831:Kao, Lauren (11 May 2016). 328:Smolnik, Franziska (2016). 219:. On October 9, 2020, when 1326: 1216:Bureau of Consular Affairs 1190:International Crisis Group 1171:10.24057/2071-9388-2020-04 1027:The Nagorno-Karabakh redux 477:The Nagorno-Karabakh redux 240:International Crisis Group 73:First Nagorno-Karabakh War 1290:Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 1208:"Armenia Travel Advisory" 332:. Campus Verlag. p.  301:Armenia–Azerbaijan border 103:2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war 40: 1095:. July 2016. p. 2. 410:Freizer, Sabine (2014). 655:Hayastani Hanrapetutyun 389:Hayastani Hanrapetutyun 221:President of Azerbaijan 69:Azerbaijan Armed Forces 789:Carnegie Moscow Center 457:Carnegie Moscow Center 197:occurred in April 2016 52: 28: 396:on 28 November 2019. 368:on 28 November 2019. 65:Armenian Armed Forces 22: 1266:smartraveller.gov.au 839:on 28 February 2019. 795:on 28 November 2019. 769:on 28 November 2019. 463:on 28 November 2019. 207:was used, while the 119:Russian Armed Forces 71:from the end of the 1305:Separation barriers 1013:on 25 October 2019. 945:Lynch, Dov (2004). 915:on 8 February 2019. 857:The Washington Post 684:on 2 September 2018 672:(11 January 2018). 548:18 May 2016 at the 362:Noravank Foundation 107:Republic of Artsakh 1120:The New York Times 714:on 26 August 2019. 614:on 27 March 2017. 568:The New York Times 84:May 1994 ceasefire 75:in 1994 until the 29: 1226:on 7 August 2020. 986:. 15 April 2016. 820:on 28 March 2019. 757:(24 March 2018). 743:on 28 March 2019. 238:According to the 1317: 1274: 1273: 1268:. Archived from 1258: 1252: 1251: 1250:on 6 April 2020. 1246:. Archived from 1234: 1228: 1227: 1222:. Archived from 1212:travel.state.gov 1204: 1198: 1197: 1196:on 26 July 2019. 1182: 1176: 1175: 1173: 1149: 1143: 1142: 1135: 1129: 1128: 1110: 1104: 1103: 1101: 1093:chathamhouse.org 1090: 1082: 1076: 1075: 1069: 1032: 1021: 1015: 1014: 997: 991: 990: 974: 968: 967: 942: 936: 935: 923: 917: 916: 911:. Archived from 900: 894: 893: 868: 862: 861: 847: 841: 840: 828: 822: 821: 816:. Archived from 803: 797: 796: 791:. Archived from 783:(2 April 2016). 777: 771: 770: 765:. Archived from 751: 745: 744: 739:. Archived from 731:(3 April 2016). 725: 716: 715: 700: 694: 693: 691: 689: 666: 660: 659: 645: 639: 638: 625: 619: 618: 598: 592: 591: 589: 587: 559: 553: 540: 534: 533: 527: 525: 519: 482: 471: 465: 464: 459:. 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Retrieved 567: 557: 538: 529: 522:, retrieved 476: 469: 461:the original 419: 415: 405: 397: 394:the original 387: 377: 369: 366:the original 352: 329: 237: 233: 224:Ilham Aliyev 189: 154: 146: 135: 128: 96: 81: 45:shp’man gits 44: 32: 30: 763:civilnet.am 688:1 September 586:11 November 185:World War I 169:buffer zone 157:barbed wire 151:Description 125:Terminology 53:təmas xətti 49:Azerbaijani 1284:Categories 932:EUobserver 909:EurasiaNet 312:References 138:Ara Papian 67:) and the 57:front line 55:) was the 1262:"Armenia" 1073:ground... 1061:2315-1129 576:0362-4331 531:ground... 511:2315-1129 288:Australia 205:artillery 41:շփման գիծ 1097:Archived 1065:Archived 1006:BBC News 887:40476575 737:BBC News 678:CivilNet 607:osce.org 580:Archived 546:Archived 524:31 March 515:archived 422:(2): 2. 295:See also 173:trenches 88:Murovdag 63:and the 37:Armenian 25:Murovdag 813:Reuters 708:ccla.lu 177:Kashmir 1243:gov.uk 1164:: 88. 1059:  1049:  957:  885:  634:a1plus 574:  509:  499:  340:  285:  271:  257:  230:Impact 215:, and 167:and a 1126:line. 1100:(PDF) 1089:(PDF) 1068:(PDF) 1031:(PDF) 883:JSTOR 518:(PDF) 481:(PDF) 181:Korea 1057:ISSN 1047:ISBN 955:ISBN 690:2018 588:2020 572:ISSN 526:2018 507:ISSN 497:ISBN 338:ISBN 192:OSCE 179:and 31:The 1166:doi 1039:doi 489:doi 424:doi 171:of 1286:: 1264:. 1240:. 1218:, 1214:. 1210:. 1188:. 1162:13 1160:. 1156:. 1123:. 1117:. 1091:. 1063:. 1055:. 1045:. 1033:. 1003:. 980:. 963:. 953:. 949:. 930:. 907:. 889:. 879:57 877:. 854:. 810:. 787:. 761:. 735:. 720:^ 706:. 676:. 652:. 631:. 604:. 578:. 570:. 566:. 528:, 513:, 505:, 495:, 483:, 455:. 438:^ 418:. 414:. 386:. 360:. 336:. 334:12 320:^ 187:. 133:. 79:. 51:: 47:, 43:, 39:: 1174:. 1168:: 1141:. 1041:: 934:. 860:. 692:. 590:. 491:: 432:. 426:: 420:1 346:. 35:(

Index


Murovdag
Armenian
Azerbaijani
front line
Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army
Armenian Armed Forces
Azerbaijan Armed Forces
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement
May 1994 ceasefire
Murovdag
natural border
2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
Republic of Artsakh
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
line of contact
Russian Armed Forces
OSCE Minsk Group
Ara Papian
Tatul Hakobyan
barbed wire
Thomas de Waal
no-man's-land
buffer zone
trenches
Kashmir
Korea
World War I

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