Armenia’s Plea for Assistance as 100,000 Refugees Flee Nagorno-Karabakh

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has forced over 100,000 people to flee the region, according to Armenia. This mass exodus signals the near-emptying of the ethnic Armenian enclave since its seizure by Azerbaijan. While Azerbaijan claims it aims to reintegrate the area and treat its residents equally, Armenia dismisses these statements as falsehoods. For three decades, Nagorno-Karabakh has been governed by ethnic Armenians and supported by Armenia and Russia. However, Azerbaijan’s recent military operation resulted in the deaths of over 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers. As part of a ceasefire agreement, separatists have agreed to surrender their weapons, leading to the dissolution of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh in the upcoming new year. The number of refugees entering Armenia over the past week has reached 100,417, with the majority of Nagorno-Karabakh’s estimated population of 120,000 now displaced. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has also confirmed the exodus and emphasized the immediate need for assistance for the displaced individuals, many of whom are hungry and exhausted. With the impending arrival of a UN mission to assess the humanitarian situation, Armenia’s ambassador-at-large expressed concerns about the timing but stressed the importance of showcasing the plight of ethnic Armenians. While Azerbaijan claims that ethnic Armenians will be allowed to stay in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia dismisses these assurances as mere propaganda, insisting that ethnic cleansing has occurred. The situation calls for urgent attention and international intervention to address the consequences of this humanitarian crisis on the displaced individuals.