Large-scale fighting broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces along the Nagorno‑Karabakh line of contact. Both sides blamed the other for starting the offensive, and the escalation quickly spread beyond front-line positions. The new war followed decades of unresolved disputes after the 1994 ceasefire that ended the first Nagorno‑Karabakh war.
In the early days of the war, Azerbaijan launched offensives in multiple directions, including the Talish–Madagiz (Sugovushan) area in the north. Control of these positions mattered because it affected key roads and artillery vantage points. The fighting here signaled that the conflict would not be limited to one sector.
Azerbaijan announced it had taken Jabrayil, a district center in the south near the Iranian border. This supported a broader southern push along the Aras River, where terrain is less mountainous than central Nagorno‑Karabakh. Control of southern districts strengthened Azerbaijan’s ability to maneuver and supply forces for later operations.
Two missile strikes hit the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Savior) Cathedral in Shusha/Shushi, damaging the building and injuring people, including journalists. The episode became one of the war’s most visible cultural and civilian-impact incidents. It intensified international concern about attacks affecting civilians and cultural sites.
Azerbaijan took control of Hadrut and surrounding areas in early-to-mid October after days of urban and rural fighting. The shift mattered because it helped open routes for Azerbaijan’s later advance toward Shusha/Shushi. The capture also became linked to later investigations and allegations of abuses during the war.
After about two weeks of intense combat, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed in Moscow to a humanitarian ceasefire. The goal was to allow the recovery of the dead and prisoner exchanges, with the International Committee of the Red Cross involved. The truce was widely reported as breaking down soon after it took effect, showing how hard it would be to stop the fighting through diplomacy alone.
Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, was struck multiple times by missiles during October. Human Rights Watch later documented attacks that hit residential areas and caused civilian deaths and injuries. These strikes showed how the war’s effects extended beyond the immediate front lines, increasing pressure for an end to hostilities.
Azerbaijan reported taking Fuzuli, another key district center in the south. This advance helped link and expand Azerbaijani-held territory across the southern front. It also moved the battlefront closer to the routes leading toward Shusha/Shushi and the Lachin corridor area.
Armenia and Azerbaijan announced another humanitarian truce to start on October 18, following continued mediation efforts by OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states. Soon after, each side accused the other of violating the agreement. The repeated failure of ceasefires highlighted the gap between political announcements and control over fighting on the ground.
The United States announced a new humanitarian ceasefire plan to take effect on October 26, and the UN Secretary-General publicly welcomed the effort. The statement again called for a halt to fighting and a return to negotiations under OSCE Minsk Group auspices. Like earlier attempts, the ceasefire did not create a lasting stop to combat, but it showed sustained international involvement.
A major attack struck Barda, Azerbaijan, killing and injuring civilians; rights groups verified the use of cluster munitions. Cluster munitions scatter many smaller bomblets over a wide area, which is especially dangerous in cities and can leave unexploded duds behind. The incident became a key example in international reporting on alleged unlawful attacks during the war.
In early November, Azerbaijan captured Shusha/Shushi after a hard-fought battle, cutting into one of the most strategic and symbolic positions in Nagorno‑Karabakh. The city’s location near key roads made it important for control of movement between Nagorno‑Karabakh and Armenia. Its loss sharply increased pressure on Armenian forces and helped set the stage for a ceasefire agreement.
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia signed a trilateral statement ending the fighting, with the ceasefire taking effect shortly after midnight on November 10 (Moscow time). The deal required Armenian forces to withdraw from several surrounding districts and created a Russian peacekeeping mission along the line of contact and the Lachin corridor. This agreement marked the war’s clear turning point from active combat to an enforced post-war order.
Russia began deploying nearly 2,000 peacekeepers to Nagorno‑Karabakh to monitor the ceasefire and secure the Lachin corridor route. This deployment made Russia the central on-the-ground security actor in the post-war arrangement. It also reduced the chance of immediate renewed large-scale fighting, even as political disputes continued.
As the ceasefire terms were implemented, Azerbaijan re-entered Aghdam district, one of the first areas returned without further fighting. The handover demonstrated that the agreement was reshaping the map through scheduled withdrawals, not just battlefield advances. It also triggered major displacement and destruction as many residents left the area.
Second Nagorno‑Karabakh War (September–November 2020)