The Canadian government has once again blamed Azerbaijan for escalating tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and said it is concerned about the "deteriorating humanitarian situation" of the Armenians living there.

Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh region is predominantly inhabited by Armenians, and the neighboring country of Armenia has been fighting for decades for control over it.

Tensions in the region escalated last fall when the Lachin Corridor, the main road linking the region to Armenia, was closed by groups suspected of being affiliated with the Azerbaijani government, and then by Azerbaijani officials who restricted traffic on the road.

Azerbaijan insists that the region is not under blockade, despite claims from human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that food and essential supplies are severely restricted before reaching the region.

Last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was prevented from accessing all roads leading to the region, resulting in shortages of medicines, food, and baby formula.

Canada will send two officials to monitor the situation

Canada plans to send two officials to support a European monitoring mission aimed at preventing another war in the region.

The Red Cross expressed concern over Azerbaijan's closure of the region shortly after the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the access of this international humanitarian organization is evidence that the region is not under blockade.

Last week, the Red Cross reported that it has managed to evacuate "more than 600 people in urgent need of medical care since December 2022," but added that it still faces difficulties in accessing the area to provide medical services.

On Tuesday, Canada's Federal Global Affairs Ministry posted on social media that Azerbaijan must comply with the International Court of Justice's order to allow "the unobstructed movement of people, vehicles, and goods" to the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

For its part, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry noted that the court's order still permits the inspection of vehicles entering Nagorno-Karabakh, claiming that elements associated with Armenia have used the road leading to the region to smuggle weapons there.

In January, Canadian parliament members heard testimony about the limited access to the region, but the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has yet to complete its study and has not issued an interim report on how Canada should address the situation.

It is worth noting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's liberal government in Ottawa plans to open an embassy in Armenia soon and that liberal officials often attend events organized by the Armenian community in Canada.