The First Nagorno-Karabakh War was a conflict that took place from 1988 to 1994 between the ethnic Armenian population of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the government of Azerbaijan. The war began as a result of rising tensions over the region's status, as the majority of its inhabitants were ethnic Armenians who sought to join Armenia. The war resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with thousands of people killed and many more forced to flee their homes. By the end of the conflict, Armenian forces had gained control over Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, leading to a fragile ceasefire that remains in place to this day.