According to the latest information from Russian agency RIA Novosti, 47,000 ethnic Armenians – more than a third of the population – have fled the Nagorno-Karabakh region since Azerbaijan’s military offensive last week. After months, Azerbaijan opened the only road from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia on Sunday.
Most of the displaced Karabakh Armenians arrived in the Armenian city of Goris, the first port of call across the border. In the city of 20,000 residents, long lines formed outside shops selling phone cards. The refugees were mainly women, children and the elderly.
Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of “ethnic cleansing”.
To date, nearly 120,000 ethnic Armenians have lived in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and they clearly constitute the majority of the population. The region has been disputed for decades between the two ex-Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia. After a war in the early 1990s, the Armenians took control. After a new war in 2020, Azerbaijan retook parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and occupied Azerbaijani territories. Yerevan accuses Baku of planning “ethnic cleansing” after Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive there last week.
No help from Moscow because of its turn to the West?
Following Azerbaijan’s military offensive on September 19, Nagorno-Karabakh’s pro-Armenian fighters were forced to accept a ceasefire just a day later. Russia, as Armenia’s traditional protective power, had allowed the Azerbaijanis to continue their military offensive. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan therefore made serious accusations against Moscow. Russia, in turn, accused Yerevan of making a “big mistake” with its recent turn to the West.
On Tuesday, representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Brussels at the initiative of the EU. The talks between the national security advisers of the enemy countries in the presence of representatives of the EU heavyweights France and Germany were under the protection of EU Council President Charles Michel.
International observer mission needed
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Azerbaijan to allow an international observer mission. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said afterwards that Azerbaijan’s autocratic President Ilham Aliyev would accept a mission. The US expected him to comply and take no further military action. Blinken has reportedly called on Aliyev to allow unhindered humanitarian access, ensure the safety of Karabakh residents and protect their rights.
According to information from Baku, 192 Azerbaijani soldiers and one civilian were killed in Azerbaijan’s military offensive on Wednesday. More than 500 other Azerbaijani soldiers were also injured, the Health Ministry said. The pro-Armenian side reported 213 deaths during the fighting. In total, more than 400 people were killed in the military offensive.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
