Title: Ethnic Armenians Prepare to Leave Karabakh Amid Fears of Ethnic Cleansing
Subtitle: Over 120,000 people set to relocate to Armenia as tensions rise in the region
NEAR KORNIDZOR, Armenia, Sept 24 (Reuters) – In the wake of a decisive defeat in the recent conflict with Azerbaijan, the leadership of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh has announced that the territory’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians will be relocating to Armenia. Citing concerns over living as part of Azerbaijan and the fear of ethnic cleansing, the region’s leaders informed Reuters of their decision on Sunday.
Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, also expressed his expectation that the Karabakh Armenians would choose to leave the region, stating that Armenia was prepared to provide them refuge. This announcement comes after Azerbaijan’s military operation resulted in a swift victory, leading to a ceasefire declaration by the Armenians on September 20.
While Azerbaijan has pledged to guarantee the rights and integrate the region, the Armenian population remains wary and expresses fear of potential repression. David Babayan, an adviser to Samvel Shahramanyan, the president of the self-declared Republic of Artsakh, emphasized that a significant majority of the population desire to leave their historic lands.
Babayan also shared that the ethnic Armenian fighters are in the process of surrendering their weapons. However, the timeline for the population’s relocation via the Lachin corridor, which connects Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, remains unclear. Prime Minister Pashinyan, who is facing calls to resign for his perceived failure to protect Karabakh, acknowledged that while some humanitarian aid has already arrived, the Armenians of Karabakh still face the imminent danger of ethnic cleansing.
Pashinyan vowed that Armenia would warmly welcome their “brothers and sisters from Nagorno-Karabakh” and called for the creation of proper living conditions and effective protection mechanisms to prevent further displacement.
The potential mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from Karabakh could bring about a significant shift in the regional power dynamic. The South Caucasus region, known for its diverse ethnic makeup and extensive energy infrastructure, has become a focal point for global powers such as Russia, the United States, Turkey, and Iran.
Last week’s victory for Azerbaijan marks a decisive end to one of the longstanding “frozen conflicts” following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev heralded the defeat of the idea of an independent ethnic Armenian Karabakh, promising to transform the region into a “paradise” within Azerbaijan’s borders.
Armenia claims that the Azerbaijani military operation resulted in over 200 deaths and 400 injuries. Concerns regarding the fate of the ethnic Armenian population have emerged in Moscow, Washington, and Brussels.
The historical disputes in the Karabakh region date back centuries, during which Persians, Turks, Russians, Ottomans, and Soviets have contested the territory. After the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917, both Azerbaijan and Armenia laid claim to Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict escalated in the late 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in thousands of casualties and the displacement of millions.
In 2020, after sporadic clashes over several decades, Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, emerged victorious in a 44-day conflict, reclaiming territories in and around Karabakh. The war concluded with a Russian-brokered peace agreement, which Armenians accuse Moscow of failing to honor.
As relief efforts intensify in the region, Armenia announced the arrival of approximately 150 tons of humanitarian aid from Russia and 65 tons of flour provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC plans to increase its presence in the area to address urgent needs related to health, forensics, protection, and weapons contamination.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Russia has deployed 2,000 peacekeepers to the region and oversaw the collection of six armored vehicles, over 800 small arms, anti-tank weapons, portable air defense systems, and 22,000 rounds of ammunition.
Despite expressing dissatisfaction with Russia’s support, Pashinyan revealed that space had been prepared in Armenia to accommodate up to 40,000 people from Karabakh.
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim nation, has assured the Armenians, who are predominantly Christian, that they are free to leave if desired.
Additionally, approximately 20 ambulances are scheduled to evacuate wounded individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
As the international community closely monitors the developments in the region, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed the continued support of the United States for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.