Goris/Berlin (Reuters) – The number of people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia is increasing rapidly.
So far, more than 47,000 people have arrived there, the Russian news agency RIA reported on Wednesday. A total of around 120,000 ethnic Armenians live in the enclave, which lies in the middle of Azerbaijan. Only 2.8 million people live in Armenia itself. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on the government in Azerbaijan to allow international observers into Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition, the people there needed food and medicine after a long blockade.
Since the Azerbaijani military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, thousands of people have been trying to leave the enclave. The roads that wind their way from there to Armenia are full of people. Many spend the night in their cars and on buses. Others look for wood on the side of the road to build a fire and warm themselves. “I left everything behind. I don’t know what to expect. I have nothing,” said Vera Petrosyan, a 70-year-old retired teacher.
Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan under international law, but is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Armenians. They had largely controlled the region for three decades with the help of the Armenian government. On Tuesday last week, however, Azerbaijan’s military attacked the area. A day later, the ethnic Armenians there agreed to a ceasefire out of necessity. According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health, 192 of its own soldiers were killed in the Azerbaijan-led military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Baerbock said the number of people leaving Nagorno-Karabakh was increasing every hour. “We are looking at Nagorno-Karabakh with the greatest concerns. Nobody really knows how the people there are doing and what they have to go through.” What is now needed is transparency and “the eyes and ears of the international community” on site. “It would be a sign of trust that Azerbaijan is serious about its commitments to the security and well-being of the people in Nagorno-Karabakh if it allowed international observers,” explained the Green politician. After the months-long blockade, people still lack food, medicine and sanitary products. “Help should not just come to people in bits and pieces, but must reach them reliably and at all times.” Germany will once again increase its humanitarian aid and increase additional funding for the International Committee of the Red Cross from two to five million euros.
(Report by: Felix Light, Sabine Ehrhardt, edited by Kerstin Dörr. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at [email protected] (for politics and the economy) or [email protected] (for companies and markets)