Azerbaijan Takes Control of Several Heights Around Lachin Corridor
On March 30, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence reported that, in connection with the opening of the new Lachin road, several heights between the villages of Jaghazur and Zabukh in the Lachin region, main and auxiliary roads and large areas along the border had been taken under the control of Azerbaijani army units.
On the same day, the de facto authorities in Karabakh reported that the Azerbaijani armed forces had closed the Goris-Stepanakert [Khankendi in Azerbaijani] highway between the villages of Zabukh and Tekh. The authorities insisted that the new Kornidzor-Tekh unpaved road in the Syunik province of Armenia is ready and will connect to the Kornidzor-Khin Shen [Kichik Galadaresi, Shusha in Azerbaijani] road, which will be opened in August 2022. The de facto authorities in Karabakh added that the use of the Tekh-Kornidzor road will make it possible to carry out humanitarian transport to the region with the help of Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross, taking into account the ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.
As previously reported by Caucasus Watch, on the evening of 25 March it was announced that the Azerbaijani army had advanced into Nagorno-Karabakh. According to a statement by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence, Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the overland routes allegedly used by Armenia to transfer weapons, ammunition and personnel into Karabakh. No clashes were reported.