Azerbaijan arrests several former top separatist leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh

By The Associated Press

Azerbaijani authorities have arrested several former separatist leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh after reclaiming control of the Armenian-populated breakaway region in a lightning military operation last month. Azerbaijan’s APA news agency says that Arayik Harutyunyan, who led the region before stepping down at the beginning of September, has been arrested and is being brought to the Azerbaijani capital. It says that Arkadi Gukasian, who served as the separatist president in 1997-2007, and Bako Sahakyan, who held the job in 2007-2020, also have been arrested.  Azerbaijan reclaimed control of the region in a blitz offensive that triggered an exodus of over 100,000 people — more than 80% of its ethnic Armenian residents.