Thousands of Ethnic Armenians to Reportedly Leave Nagorno-Karabakh
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh has told Reuters that thousands of ethnic Armenians plan to leave for Armenia due to their unwillingness to live under the Azerbaijan Republic’s rule and fears of ethnic cleansing.
Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized internationally as part of Republic of Azerbaijan but beyond Baku's control since the Soviet Union's dissolution, declared a ceasefire on September 20 after a swift 24-hour military operation by the much larger Azerbaijani military.
Azerbaijan has stated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of the region's residents and integrating the area. However, the Armenian leadership in Karabakh has conveyed their intent to depart.
The Azerbaijan Republic has consistently denied any intention to harm the Armenian population.
"Our people do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan. Ninety-nine point nine percent prefer to leave our historic lands," said David Babayan, an adviser to Samvel Shahramanyan, the president of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, in an interview with Reuters.
The timing of the Armenian exodus via the Lachin corridor, connecting the territory to Armenia, remains uncertain, as does the fate of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who faces calls to step down for his perceived failure to protect Karabakh.
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim nation, has stated that Armenians, who are predominantly Christian, are free to leave if they choose to do so. Pashinyan, on the other hand, has urged them to stay unless their safety is at risk.
Medical evacuations from the breakaway region are anticipated on Sunday. In response to thousands of Karabakh Armenians facing food shortages, ethnic Armenian authorities in the region reported on Saturday that approximately 150 tons of humanitarian aid from Russia and an additional 65 tons of flour supplied by the International Committee of the Red Cross had arrived in the area.