The Karabakh pact envisages the loss of Yerevan's control over all the regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and local Armenian media talk of the Defence Minister's resignation

Azerbaijani Army enters Agdam, in compliance with Karabakh agreement, and Armenian Defence Minister resigns

photo_camera AFP/KAREN MINISYAN - City of Agdam, deserted and in ruins, 19 November 2020

The Azerbaijani army entered the Agdam region in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone on Friday, in compliance with the declaration on the cessation of hostilities signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. 

“Photo and video footage of the Agdam region will be presented during the day," the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence said in a statement. 

Agdam is one of the regions bordering Nagorno-Karabakh, which was under the control of Armenian forces after the 1992-1994 war. According to Baku, as a result of that war, more than 120,000 inhabitants of Agdam had to leave their homes. 

The Azerbaijani authorities had previously agreed to postpone by 10 days the date of the Armenians' departure from the Kalbajar region, which will now take place on November 25. According to the Azerbaijani military, the withdrawal of the Armenians from the area is being carried out according to the agreed timetable.

The Karabakh pact envisages the loss of Yerevan's control over all the regions bordering Nagorno-Karabakh, which Armenians call the "security strip", and nearly 30 percent of the territory of the disputed enclave, together with its second city, Shusha (or Shushi for Armenians). 

The result of the war, which lasted 44 days, has triggered a serious political crisis in Armenia, where anti-government protests have been held for the past ten days. 

Armenian opposition announced this Friday they will attempt to secure the lifting of the country's current martial law during an extraordinary meeting of parliament on November 26, and then promote the resignation of the executive. 

Resignation of the Defence Minister

The Armenian defence minister has resigned following the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to local media, which claim that the official tendered his resignation less than two weeks before the end of the war in an agreement between the parties that caused repudiation on the Armenian streets, as he understood that it was unfair to his country.  

David Tonoian, ministro de Defensa de Armenia

According to the Aravot newspaper, David Tonoián has resigned as Armenian defence minister to be replaced by Vagarshak Arutiunián, the chief adviser to the prime minister and head of defence during the 1999-2000 period.

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