Armenia Reports 100,000 Refugees Escaping Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Armenia has reported that over 100,000 people have fled the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This means that nearly the entire population of the ethnic Armenian enclave has left since Azerbaijan took control of the area last week. Azerbaijan claims that it wants to reintegrate the region and treat its residents equally, but an Armenian spokesperson has called this a "lie." Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, had been governed by ethnic Armenians for the past thirty years. The region has received support from Armenia and its ally, Russia. The recent conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians resulted in the deaths of at least 200 Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers. As part of a ceasefire agreement, separatists have agreed to surrender their weapons. The leader of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh has stated that the region will cease to exist in the new year. According to Armenia's prime minister's spokesperson, over 100,000 refugees have entered the country in the past week, out of Nagorno-Karabakh's estimated population of 120,000. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) also confirmed that 100,000 people have fled and highlighted the urgent need for assistance for the displaced population. Some officials have mentioned that only a few hundred people remain in Nagorno-Karabakh, including emergency services employees and individuals with special needs. A massive explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh caused the death of at least 170 people, but the cause of the explosion remains unclear. The UN will send a mission to assess the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, following Azerbaijan's permission for the visit. Armenia's ambassador-at-large criticized the timing of the visit but emphasized the importance of UN officials witnessing what ethnic Armenians have endured. However, he dismissed Azerbaijan's claims as propaganda and stated that nobody will remain in Nagorno-Karabakh.