Joint Turkish-Russian Center To Monitor Nagorno-Karabakh Truce Begins Operations

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.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on January 29 that one Turkish general and 38 personnel will be stationed at the center.

Turkish officials previously said the observation center will be located in Azerbaijan’s 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.

“Our 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,” Akar said in a statement posted on the Defense Ministry’s website.

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.

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.

Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers are also deployed along frontline areas and to protect a land link connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.

With reporting by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service