Turkey, Russia to begin monitoring Nagorno-Karabakh truce

The Turkish-Russian observation centre will become operational on Saturday.

1 min read

30 January, 2021

Turkey and Russia agreed to form the centre in November last year [Getty]

A joint Turkish and Russian observation centre to monitor a cease-fire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh will become operational on Saturday, Turkey's defense minister announced.

Hulusi Akar said in a statement on Friday that a Turkish general and 38 personnel would be on duty at the centre which aims to monitor possible violations of the truce. He did not provide further information.

Turkey and Russia agreed to form an observation centre — located in Azerbaijan — shortly after the cease-fire agreement, reached in November, ended six weeks of intense fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Russia, which brokered the cease-fire, has separately deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the agreement.

"Work toward the creation of the joint centre has been completed. The center which will be manned by Turkish and Russian soldiers will become operational tomorrow," Akar announced.

"We believe that the joint centre will greatly contribute to the durability of the cease-fire and to the establishment of peace and stability," Akar said.

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