Leaders | A short war with a long shadow

A humanitarian disaster is under way in Nagorno-Karabakh

And Russia may also be destabilising its old ally, Armenia

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh arrive by truck in Kornidzor, Armenia
Image: Reuters

The war unleashed on September 19th by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist ethnic-Armenian enclave, lasted less than a day. But it has ended a hostile stand-off that had lasted more than 30 years, and prompted an exodus of tens of thousands of terrified people. It has also placed Azerbaijan’s backer, Turkey, in a stronger position in the Caucasus as Russia’s influence there withers.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “A short war with a long shadow”

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