Montrealers call for independence for The Republic of Artsakh amid conflict with Azerbaijan

Members of Montreal's Armenian community gathered on Sunday to call for independence for The Republic of Artsakh, a disputed territory that is at the centre of a growing conflict.

The Republic of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, is primarily made up of ethnic Armenians. While the state's parliament voted to join Armenia after the fall of the USSR, internationally it's considered a part of Azerbaijan.

Over the past three weeks, numerous villages have been destroyed and hundreds of casualties have been reported on both sides. On Saturday, a ceasefire was announced, though each country soon accused the other of breaking it.
Earlier this month, Canada suspended military exports to Turkey, which has backed Azerbaijan in the conflict, over allegations that Canadian-made drones were being used.

On Monday, Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante is expected to make a statement on the conflict.