Over 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population has fled to Armenia following the rapid collapse of the separatist enclave. More than 88,000 people have crossed into Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, with estimates suggesting this number could reach 120,000, according to UN refugee agency officials.
The separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist on January 1, signifying the end of its 30-year de facto independence. Azerbaijan, which recently defeated Armenian forces in the region, has pledged to respect the rights of the Armenian community in Nagorno-Karabakh and urged them not to leave. However, many Armenians fear ethnic cleansing, accusing various countries, including European nations, Russia, and the United States, as well as the Armenian government, of failing to protect them during the conflict.
For the Armenian diaspora, Nagorno-Karabakh was seen as a historic hope and part of their ancestral homeland. Ethnic Armenians have communities around the world, with Lebanon being home to one of the largest Armenian populations outside Armenia itself.
Nagorno-Karabakh holds deep historical and cultural significance for Armenians, and its loss is viewed as a significant blow. The region was one of the last surviving parts of an Armenian heartland that stretched across what is now eastern Turkey, the Caucasus, and western Iran.
The conflict in the region has roots in a history of ethnic and territorial disputes, with Nagorno-Karabakh being a predominantly ethnic Armenian region within Azerbaijan. It was controlled by ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia following separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Azerbaijan regained parts of the area in a war in 2020.
The recent blockade of the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia escalated tensions, with Azerbaijan accusing Armenia of using the road for illicit weapons shipments, while Armenia claimed it denied basic supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The situation has led to significant displacement and humanitarian concerns, with many refugees fleeing the region and shortages of essential supplies. Additionally, a fuel reservoir explosion at a petrol station killed at least 170 people, further adding to the humanitarian crisis.
Source: with agencies