Mass exodus coming in Nagorno-Karabakh?

Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh (a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but previously outside Baku's control) were forced to declare a ceasefire on September 20 after a 24-hour blitzkrieg by the Azerbaijani army .

Azerbaijan says it will guarantee the rights of Armenians but fears repression.

"Our people do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan. 99.9% of them want to leave our historical lands," David Babayan, an adviser to self-proclaimed President Samvel Shahramanyan of the Republic of Artsakh (commonly known by its former name, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), told Reuters.

Migrants at a checkpoint in the village of Kornidzor - Armenia on September 24. Photo: Reuters

Armenian leaders in Nagorno-Karabakh said all those displaced by Azerbaijan’s military operations and wishing to leave would be escorted by Russian peacekeepers to Armenia. It was not clear when they would reach the Lachin corridor that links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

Armenia says more than 200 people have been killed and 400 wounded in Azerbaijan's military campaign. The fate of the Armenians has raised concerns in Russia, the United States...

In a speech to the people, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that humanitarian aid had arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh but warned that Armenians there still faced "the risk of ethnic cleansing".

Prime Minister Pashinyan said on September 22 that Armenia had prepared accommodation for about 40,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to Russia's TASS news agency, Armenia “will warmly welcome our brothers and sisters from Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Reuters said a mass exodus in Nagorno-Karabakh could change the fragile balance of power in the South Caucasus region, home to oil and gas pipelines where Russia, the United States, Turkey and Iran are vying for influence.

Meanwhile, with 2,000 peacekeepers in the breakaway region, Russia said that based on the ceasefire terms, six armored vehicles, more than 800 small arms, anti-tank weapons and mobile air defense systems along with 22,000 rounds of ammunition were delivered on September 23.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/sap-co-cuoc-di-cu-lon-o-nagorno-karabakh-20230924195550025.htm