Karabakh Armenians seek promises before giving up weapons to Azerbaijan

Davit Melkumyan, deputy of the National Assembly of the Nagorno-Karabakh, arrives in the Armenian delegation for talks after the breakaway region was forced into a ceasefire, in the town of Yevlakh, Azerbaijan September 21, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer

GORIS, Armenia (Reuters) -Ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh need security guarantees before giving up their weapons, an adviser to their leader said on Thursday, a day after Azerbaijan declared it had brought the breakaway region back under its control.

Karabakh Armenian authorities accused Azerbaijan of violating a ceasefire agreed on Wednesday after a lightning Azerbaijani offensive forced the separatists to agree to disarm.