{"id":15782,"date":"2021-01-30T01:51:35","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T01:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=156420"},"modified":"2021-01-30T01:51:35","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T01:51:35","slug":"joint-turkish-russian-center-to-monitor-nagorno-karabakh-truce-begins-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/30\/joint-turkish-russian-center-to-monitor-nagorno-karabakh-truce-begins-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint Turkish-Russian Center To Monitor Nagorno-Karabakh Truce Begins Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"
A joint Turkish and Russian observation center to monitor a cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region will be begin operations on January 30.<\/p>\n
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on January 29 that one Turkish general and 38 personnel will be stationed at the center.<\/p>\n
Turkish officials previously said the observation center will be located in Azerbaijan\u2019s Aghdam region, which was captured from ethnic Armenian forces during a six-week flare-up of the conflict. Monitoring of the cease-fire will be aided by drones.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur activities will intensify with the work of this joint Turkish-Russian center and we will fulfill our duty to defend the rights of our Azerbaijani brothers,\u201d Akar said in a statement posted on the Defense Ministry\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Turkey and Russia agreed to form a joint observation center shortly after Moscow in November brokered a cease-fire agreement that ended fierce fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey was a major backer of Azerbaijan in the conflict.<\/p>\n
Under the cease-fire agreement, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years under the control of ethnic Armenians.<\/p>\n
Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers are also deployed along frontline areas and to protect a land link connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.<\/p>\n
With reporting by RFE\/RL’s Armenian Service\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n