The Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict
A neutral, source-attributed briefing on Armenia and Azerbaijan — the aftermath of Nagorno-Karabakh, border tensions, and a fragile peace track.
Open the live conflict map → Common questionsLast updated: 2026-08-06 · Evergreen briefing — the live map and the headlines below carry the latest developments.
Key locations: Armenia-Azerbaijan
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Yerevancity40.1792, 44.4991
Capital of Armenia and seat of its government.
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Bakucity40.4093, 49.8671
Capital of Azerbaijan and seat of its government.
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Stepanakert (Khankendi)city39.8236, 46.7503
Former capital of the self-declared Republic of Artsakh, the area's ethnic Armenian population having largely left following Azerbaijan's September 2023 offensive.
Control: Azerbaijan, following the dissolution of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh administration — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-07-29
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Shusha (Shushi)city39.7591, 46.7524
Historic hilltop town overlooking Stepanakert, captured by Azerbaijani forces during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Control: Azerbaijan — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-07-29
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Nakhchivancity39.2089, 45.4122
Capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an Azerbaijani exclave separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenian territory.
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Meghri / Zangezur corridor routeborder38.8889, 46.2364
Southernmost Armenian town along the route of a proposed transit corridor that would link mainland Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia's Syunik province; construction was planned to begin in 2026.
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Tavush border regionborder40.8804, 45.1500
Undemarcated stretch of the Armenia-Azerbaijan frontier that has seen periodic border clashes and is subject to an ongoing demarcation process.
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Goriscity39.5089, 46.3414
Armenian town in Syunik province that became a main reception point for ethnic Armenians leaving Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.
Key facts
- The Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict is an interstate in the South Caucasus, currently Tensions (Medium intensity).
- Following Azerbaijan's 2023 recovery of Nagorno-Karabakh and the exodus of its Armenian population, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain in tense negotiations over borders and a final peace treaty, with periodic friction.
- Key actors: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Regional powers.
- What's at stake: Peace treaty, Border demarcation, Regional alignments.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-08-06.
- Azerbaijan at 'real peace' with Armenia but wants it to change constitution2026-07-15 — Reuters
- If Trump Believes in Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace, Why Does Baku Want Weapons?2026-07-27 — American Enterprise Institute - AEI
- Armenia, Azerbaijan and the unfinished peace2026-06-03 — Engelsberg Ideas
- Armenia reform could clear path to peace, Azerbaijan says2026-08-04 — Türkiye Today
- Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?2026-06-05 — carnegieendowment.org
- Germany looks to Azerbaijan as Armenia ties shift regional relationships2026-07-22 — RFI
- Azerbaijan sees no obstacle to Armenia peace deal if constitutional territorial claim removed2026-08-04 — Anadolu Ajansı
- Iran again seeks to steer Armenia away from TRIPP2026-08-06 — Latest news from Azerbaijan
Overview
Following Azerbaijan's 2023 recovery of Nagorno-Karabakh and the exodus of its Armenian population, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain in tense negotiations over borders and a final peace treaty, with periodic friction.
This page is an evergreen orientation. Figures and control change continually — confirm the latest with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- Armenia — its government and forces.
- Azerbaijan — its government and forces.
- Regional powers — external states with influence in the Caucasus.
- Displaced populations — affected by the Karabakh exodus.
What's at stake
- Peace treaty: whether a durable agreement is reached.
- Border demarcation: unresolved frontier disputes.
- Regional alignments: competition among outside powers.
- Displaced communities: the fate of those who fled Karabakh.
Armenia-Azerbaijan explained: the key dynamics
After Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijan recovered the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2023, prompting the exodus of most of its ethnic Armenian population. The conflict's central territorial dispute was thereby resolved by force, reshaping the South Caucasus.
Toward a peace treaty
Armenia and Azerbaijan have engaged in negotiations over a final peace treaty and border demarcation, though sticking points and periodic friction remain.
A contested neighborhood
Outside powers compete for influence in the South Caucasus, and the corridor and connectivity questions between the two states carry regional significance.
Timeline: how the armenia-azerbaijan unfolded
- 1988–94 — The first Nagorno-Karabakh war ends with Armenian control of the enclave.
- 2020 — A 44-day war sees Azerbaijan retake surrounding territories.
- 2023 — Azerbaijan recovers Nagorno-Karabakh; most ethnic Armenians flee.
- 2024–26 — Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a peace treaty amid periodic tension.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
With the Karabakh question settled militarily, tracking now focuses on border incidents and the peace process rather than active war, which ACLED captures as discrete clashes. UCDP records the interstate dyad. The situation is tense but far less violent than during the wars; status can still shift.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
Tensions Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, rooted in Soviet-era administrative decisions that placed the predominantly ethnic Armenian enclave within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, produced a devastating war in 1988–1994 and a second war in 2020. In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a 24-hour military operation that completed its takeover of the territory, which it refers to as 'Karabakh.' The ethnic Armenian population — approximately 100,000 people — fled to Armenia within weeks.
Peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, facilitated by the European Union, United States, and Russia (with declining effectiveness), have produced draft peace treaty texts addressing border delimitation, prisoner exchanges, and transit rights. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has indicated willingness to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh and pursue EU integration, representing a significant reorientation away from Russia's sphere.
Outstanding issues include the precise demarcation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border, the status of the Zangezur corridor (Azerbaijan seeks road transit through southern Armenia to connect to its Nakhchivan exclave), and accountability for wartime atrocities. Sporadic border incidents continue. The situation is characterized as de-escalating but not resolved.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
Are Armenia and Azerbaijan at war in 2026?
The two states are in tense post-Karabakh negotiations with periodic border friction rather than full-scale war. Confirm the current status with primary sources such as ACLED, UCDP, and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
What happened in Nagorno-Karabakh?
Azerbaijan recovered the territory in 2023, prompting the exodus of most of its ethnic Armenian population.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see this theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Who controls Nagorno-Karabakh now?
Azerbaijan controls Nagorno-Karabakh, having recovered it in 2023. Most of the region's ethnic Armenian population left during and after the offensive.
Are Armenia and Azerbaijan still at war?
They are not in active war but remain in a tense post-conflict negotiation over a peace treaty and borders, with periodic friction along the frontier.
Source provenance
- Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker 8 days · as of 2026-07-29
- News feed 0 days · as of 2026-08-06
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-06 | Headlines refreshed | News feed |
| 2026-07-29 | Stepanakert (Khankendi) control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |
| 2026-07-29 | Shusha (Shushi) control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |