Ceasefire reached in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijani military offensive leaves dozens dead

The separatist authorities of the unrecognized Artsakh Republic in Nagorno-Karabakh have announced that a ceasefire agreement has been reached as of 1:00 p.m. local time (10:00 a.m. London, 5:00 a.m. New York), according to Russian state media.

As part of the agreement, all remaining Armenian troops will be withdrawn “from the deployment zone of the Russian peacekeeping contingent” in Nagorno-Karabakh. Additionally, the armed units of the Artsakh Republic will be disbanded and its heavy equipment withdrawn.

The unrecognized republic also said that the agreement was reached “with the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

A meeting between members of the disputed region’s Armenian population and Azerbaijani government representatives has been scheduled for September 21 in the city of Yevlakh. The two sides reportedly plan to discuss “issues raised by the Azerbaijani side regarding the reintegration [of Nagorno-Karabakh] as well as issues concerning the livelihood of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of the Constitution of Azerbaijan.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Gegham Stepanyan, the Republic of Artsakh’s human rights ombudsman, reported that 32 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in Nagorno-Karabakh during Azerbaijan’s attack. Of those victims, he said, seven civilians were killed and 35 civilians were injured.