The Azerbaijani Ministry of Health reported that casualties from the country’s operation in Nagorno-Karabakh have reached 192 people. Official figures are published on the ministry’s website, where the data is updated as information becomes available.
Among the casualties, 180 are identified as members of the Ministry of Defense, and 12 are listed as employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Officials stated that one martyr is a civilian.
According to the ministry, 511 military personnel and one civilian were injured during the operation. In the broader human-cost picture, more than 28 thousand residents of Nagorno-Karabakh have been displaced and sought asylum in Armenia.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a predominantly Armenian-inhabited region within Azerbaijan, and the Lachin corridor remains the sole land link between the territory and Armenia.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which calls itself Artsakh, declared independence in 1991 but has not been recognized by United Nations member states, including Armenia. For decades, the region’s governance existed outside Baku’s direct control, with a local administration backed by Yerevan. Russian peacekeepers have been present to help stabilize the area, yet clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces persisted at intermittent levels.
Hostilities intensified in 2020, leading to a series of events in November of that year when Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a ceasefire, with Russia participating in the process. The agreement provided for the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh, the exchange of prisoners, territorial adjustments, and the return of certain refugees.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan announced the launch of what it described as an anti-terrorist operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The following day, with the involvement of Russian peacekeepers, a framework for a ceasefire was discussed. The terms included disbanding Karabakh’s armed forces and withdrawing heavy equipment, with monitoring to be conducted by the Russian peacekeeping mission.
Earlier statements from the United States had expressed an intention to assist the people of Karabakh, reflecting ongoing international interest in the region’s stability and humanitarian needs.