Over one lakh people flee Nagorno-Karabakh region: Armenia

Armenia has said that over one lakh people have fled the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It means that almost the entire population of the ethnic Armenian enclave has left since Azerbaijan seized the region last week. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a spokeswoman for Armenia’s Prime Minister, said the number of refugees entering the country over the past week had reached one lakh four hundred and seventeen, out of Nagorno-Karabakh’s estimated population of one lakh twenty thousand. The UN refugee agency also stated that one lakh people had fled, stating that many of those fleeing are hungry, exhausted, and need immediate assistance.

Azerbaijan has said it wants to reintegrate the area and treat its residents as equals, but an Armenian spokesman said this was just a lie. Nagorno-Karabakh – recognized as part of Azerbaijan – had been run by ethnic Armenians for three decades. The mountainous region in the South Caucasus has been supported by Armenia – but also by its ally, Russia.

At least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers were killed as Azerbaijan’s army swept in. As part of a ceasefire deal, separatists have agreed to surrender their weapons.