Azerbaijan has announced that it has won back control of the breakaway ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region has been claimed by both countries since the end of a bloody six-year war in 1994. The announcement came after rebel separatists conceded defeat and handed over control of the disputed region to the Azeri forces. The dramatic victory had been declared by the Azeri President, Ilham Aliyev, following a major offensive by Azeri troops that had targeted separatist forces since September 27th. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia is one of the longest-running regional disputes in the world, and the outcome of this battle is remarkable. Armenia has asserted its claim over Nagorno-Karabakh, which it considers a part of its historic homeland, but majority-Ethnic Azeris see the region as a part of Azerbaijan. Before this announcement, Azerbaijan was in control of a significant chunk of the region, including areas within Nagorno-Karabakh and three of its seven surrounding districts that were taken by ethnic Armenian separatists in 1994. The news has sent shockwaves in the international community, with some world leaders expressing concerns over the humanitarian costs of the fighting and the prospect of further destabilization. Conversely, Azerbaijan has been widely praised as the conflict comes to a close, marking a victory of Azerbaijan’s and a defeat for the rebel separatists. The United Nations has welcomed the news of Azerbaijan’s victory, which has been seen as an important step towards resolving the decades-long standoff.