The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has continued supporting communities affected by the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict during the first half of 2025, focusing on families of the missing, border resilience, and detained individuals, according to an operational update. The organization’s report includes direct assistance to families, technical support to forensic services, and humanitarian visits to Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan.
The ICRC maintained its resilience programs in border communities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where tensions from the 2020-2023 conflict escalations still affect daily life. Through its Accompaniment Project, the organization provided dedicated sessions, commemoration events, and individual follow-ups for families searching for missing relatives. In response to families’ requests for better coordination, the ICRC helped launch a Communication Platform that brings together active leaders and heads of small NGOs and associations working on similar issues.
Technical and material support remained a priority for Armenian public authorities and forensic facilities. The ICRC provided forensic expertise to improve preparedness for identifying the dead and preventing disappearances during emergencies. The organization also worked to strengthen emergency healthcare access in border areas by training medical personnel and upgrading the material capacity of local health centers.
The ICRC continued visiting Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan in connection with the conflict, once their detention was confirmed by authorities. During these visits, staff assessed treatment and detention conditions and facilitated contact between detainees and their families through Red Cross messages, phone calls, oral greetings, and pre-recorded video messages, with the consent of detaining authorities.
The ICRC has been operating in Armenia since 1992, providing humanitarian assistance and protection services related to armed conflict and other situations of violence. Its work focuses on detainee visits, supporting families of the missing, strengthening forensic capacities, and promoting international humanitarian law across the region.
