Quickly lost in media coverage was the conflict between the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh in Armenian, and Azerbaijan. It resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the overwhelmingly Armenian enclave. For many months, their land was under siege and blockade by Azerbaijan. Putin and his so-called peacekeepers did nothing. The international community was silent. On September 19th Azerbaijan invaded. The outnumbered and outgunned Armenians had little chance against their more powerful neighbor. By the end of September, there were virtually no Armenians left in their ancient homeland. This is a huge blow in the history of the millennial old Armenian people who have endured massacres and genocide. But Armenians are resilient and they will heal their wounds and bounce back.
Bedross Der Matossian is Professor of Modern Middle East History and Hymen Rosenberg Professor in Judaic Studies; and Vice Chair of the Department of History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is the author of The Horrors of Adana and editor of Denial of Genocides in the Twenty-First Century.