The State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan recently announced the suspension of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicles from crossing the Lachin border checkpoint, effectively eliminating the last remaining crossing point in the Lachin corridor.
This development has created concerns about the potential isolation from the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The SBS released a statement on July 11, accusing the ICRC of allegedly violating Azerbaijani laws and engaging in suspicious activities. While specific details were not provided, the implication is that the ICRC-owned medical evacuation vehicles were “involved in smuggling”. Despite official warnings, it is claimed that the ICRC failed to address these concerns adequately, leading to the decision to suspend the crossing point.
As a result of this suspension, the Lachin corridor, which serves as a connection between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, is effectively cut off.
Previously, on April 23, the State Border Service of Azerbaijan announced the establishment of a unilateral border crossing point at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road on the border with Armenia.
Later, changes were made on May 4 to the “number of exit points from the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the list of their locations,” a decision that was signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov.
