YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh announced Thursday that it will dismantle itself and the unrecognized republic will cease to exist by Jan. 1, 2024.

The move comes after Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive to reclaim full control over its breakaway region and demanded that Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh lay down their weapons and the separatist government dismantle itself.

Nagorno-Karabakh was run by separatist authorities for about 30 years.