Lachin corridor blockade enters 16th day, spawning humanitarian crisis for Armenians

Protests continue in the Nagorno-Karabakh region's largest city Stepanakert as the blockade of the only land link to Armenia, which entered its 16th day on Tuesday, is spawning a humanitarian crisis for local Armenians.

Tthousands of demonstrators gathered in the city's  Renaissance Square on Sunday, waving flags of Nagorno-Karabakh and holding banners that read 'Open the Road to Life', 'Armenia, no concessions' 'Self-determination is not extremism.'

Azerbaijani activists have for two weeks blocked the corridor to protest what they claim is illegal mining. Yerevan has accused Baku of staging demonstrations and creating a humanitarian crisis in the mountainous enclave.

Armenia's parliament says Karabakh is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and fuel due to the closure of the corridor while Azerbaijan insists there is no blockade and that civilian cars can move freely to and out of Karabakh.

According to the Russian defense ministry, the Azerbaijani side blocked the Stepanakert-Goris road on December 12, and the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent is negotiating with their representatives to resume the movement of civilian vehicles.

Armenian foreign ministry had called the blocking of the Lachin corridor a 'provocation' by the Azerbaijani side, stating that 'Nagorny Karabakh faces an imminent food and humanitarian crisis.'

Azerbaijan dismissed the claims, saying environmental activists' protests were "the result of the Azerbaijani public's justified discontent with illegal economic activities, plundering of natural resources and damage to the environment in the territories of Azerbaijan where Russian peacekeepers are deployed.”

On Saturday, the Armenian foreign ministry replied to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's speech at a meeting with intellectuals from western Azerbaijan.

"The leadership of this state is in no way interested in the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Nor do the 'justifications' given in the speech for the illegal closure of the Lachin corridor have anything to do with reality," the ministry said.

Russia is trying to establish a dialogue between the two estranged neighboring countries.

On 23 December, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow favored restoring transport links as soon as possible and resolving “the disagreements over the development of the region's ore deposits.”

Controlled by the Russian peacekeeping forces, the Lanchin corridor has been described as a "lifeline" for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The blockage of the corridor has caused the choking of the incoming cargo, including food, fuel, and medical supplies for around 120,000 indigenous Armenians.

Azerbaijan's actions were condemned by the UN Secretary-General, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Russia, Canada, and a number of other countries.

The UN Security Council on December 20 held an emergency meeting on the situation around the Lachin corridor at Armenia's request.

Officially a part of Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh is populated by ethnic Armenians who have pursued independence since the 1980s, when Azerbaijan and Armenia were part of the Soviet Union.

In 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a 44-day war over the Azerbaijani control over much of the disputed area.

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