Armenia and Azerbaijan talk peace, but in a border forest, the wounds of war are still raw

SRASHEN, October 30 — Marat Harutyunyan, a local official overseeing Armenia's Shikahogh nature reserve, pointed to cleared forests that Azerbaijan's military constructed, claiming they pose threats to wildlife and local villagers' livelihoods. The dispute over the forest highlights the enduring tensions between the two nations, striving for peace after three decades of conflict and multiple wars.

Azerbaijan seized parts of the reserve in 2021-2022 and recaptured Karabakh from Armenian separatists in 2023, forcing some 100,000 Armenians to flee.

Since then, the countries have attempted to reach a permanent peace deal, with an initial accord signed in Washington last year. However, rural residents in Syunik, Armenia, remain wary. Azerbaijani military positions and landmines loom large, causing fear among villagers. Harut Aghatelyan, a 35-year-old biologist, recounted finding dead animals with missing legs after landmines were detonated in the woods.

Azerbaijan is now building roads in the forest to facilitate its military operations, creating a hostile environment as seen from Srashen village.

Azerbaijan’s advances left a nearby village, Nerkin-Hand, surrounded on three sides, with the reserve and agricultural land under its control. Armenia has condemned this as "large-scale ecocide," emphasizing the destruction of endangered species habitat, including Caucasian leopards, brown bears, and bezoar goats. Forest expert Ayser Ghazaryan noted extensive deforestation and construction, but the safety of these assessments is compromised by the military presence and landmines.

The loss of farmland and grazing threatens locals' livelihoods, as seen in Muraz Arzumanyan's case. A 26-year-old unemployed metallurgist and former soldier, he worries about starting a family in a region under constant threat. The school in Shikahogh has only one student, and elderly residents can no longer visit relatives’ graves.

Residents hope the municipality's free buses will eventually allow them to return to the area. Despite the conflict, biologist Aghatelyan remains committed to his home, raising rabbits and hoping his young child can grow up in the forest that defined his childhood.