Armenians Mobilize to Aid ‘Brothers and Sisters’ in Nagorno-Karabakh

The number of people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh is increasing every hour, with the official count of refugees now close to half the population of the enclave. The scenes at the border indicate that ethnic Armenians are leaving the region. In the town of Goris, the aid effort is intensifying as exhausted families wait to register their arrival. There has been a surge in support, with local hotels providing free rooms and Armenians offering housing to refugees across the country. Plans are underway to convert a school in Goris into a temporary dormitory. Although the authorities believe they can handle the situation, the influx of refugees is overwhelming. Many of the refugees, like Tamara, a nurse who treated wounded fighters in Karabakh, decided to leave as soon as the route to Armenia became accessible. Tamara is now staying with a family she helped during a previous war, relieved to repay her debt. The refugee crisis is a result of years of fighting, bloodshed, and deep-seated enmity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Many ethnic Armenians who fought to defend Nagorno-Karabakh find it difficult to accept this defeat and are unwilling to comment publicly. The refugees who have left believe they have left the enclave for good, leaving behind not just one house, but everything they owned. The authorities are making arrangements to provide temporary housing in other towns and villages, with minibuses ready to transport people. The influx of refugees is overwhelming, and additional support is being set up in Vayk, two hours away from Goris. As the refugees arrive, locals offer them food and drinks, providing some relief to their hunger.