Protests Erupt in Armenia Following Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

Thousands of protesters clashed with police in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, over the government's handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. Azerbaijan had declared restoring its sovereignty over the territory following a 24-hour military offensive, accusing Armenia of failing to protect ethnic Armenians living there. Protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, claiming he had made too many concessions and provided little assistance to the ethnic Armenians. The international community recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, but it has been controlled by ethnic Armenians for three decades. Images showed police in riot gear guarding government buildings as rocks were hurled by protesters, some of whom were injured. Protesters voiced concerns over losing their homeland and called for a change in leadership. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev expressed intentions to integrate the ethnic Armenian population of Karabakh and transform the area into a "paradise." However, there are serious worries about the fate of remaining ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Social media images displayed large gatherings of Armenians trying to leave Karabakh via the Russian-controlled airport in Stepanakert. Separatist officials reported that over 10,000 Armenians had been evacuated to other settlements in the region for their safety, but the number of casualties could not be verified by the BBC. Azerbaijan's presidency announced talks with Karabakh's Armenian representatives for reintegration discussions to be held in Yevlakh.