Following Azerbaijan’s reconquest of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, nearly 93,000 people have sought refuge in Armenia so far (see video above). Former Defense Minister Levon Mnazkanyan also wanted to go to Armenia, but was arrested, the border guard said on Friday. He was transferred to the Azerbaijani capital Baku.
Mnazkanyan served as Defense Minister of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh from 2015 to 2018. The region’s former head of government, Ruben Vardanyan, had been arrested before him. In total, almost 93,000 people have now sought refuge in Armenia. They were forced to leave their home country, government spokeswoman Naseli Bagdassarjan said on Friday. According to official information, 120,000 Karabakh Armenians live in the region.
Will there be observers?
The displaced people are scared and worried about the future, Kavita Belani, the representative of the UNHCR (UN High Commission for Refugees) in Armenia, said via video from Yerevan. They had expected 90,000 refugees, but expectations would have to be adjusted. They are also willing to help 120,000 people.
The European Union has now called on the government of Azerbaijan to allow UN observers into Nagorno-Karabakh. The mission must take place in the coming days because the people urgently need help. As a result of the Azerbaijani military operation a week and a half ago, “a mass exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh is underway.”
Arrival exhausted
The manager of the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Armenia, Hicham Diab, said many arrivals were too exhausted to report their experiences. They need psychosocial help to cope with the escape. Both organizations appealed to the international community to provide Armenia with financial assistance in taking in the refugees.
During a military offensive last week, authoritarian-ruled Azerbaijan completely retook the region, which had been fought over for decades. The leadership of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Artsakh subsequently capitulated and this week also decided to dissolve itself on January 1, 2024.
Source: Krone
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