Understand the crisis in the NagornoKarabakh region
The President of the selfproclaimed Armenian Republic of NagornoKarabakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, announced this Thursday morning (28) that the autonomous government will be dissolved from January 1, 2024.
The NagornoKarabakh region, located in the Caucasus, is internationally recognized as part of the Azerbaijan. However, the majority of residents identify as ethnic Armenians, a neighboring country.
This autonomous government was founded in 1994. Fruit of a separatist movement that won the support of the Armenian government.
1 of 3 NagornoKarabakh — Photo: g1 NagornoKarabakh — Photo: g1
More than half of the population fled
A new assessment released by the Armenian government on Thursday suggested as much About 68,000 people left NagornoKarabakh for Armeniawhich accounts for more than half of the local population, estimated at 120,000 residents.
The mass exodus began on Sunday nightand the only road connecting NagornoKarabakh to Armenia quickly filled with cars, leading to hourslong traffic jams.
The explosion occurred during this Drivers lined up to refuel their vehicles and leave the regionsaid witnesses quoted by The New York Times.
Two of three Armenian refugees who fled the NagornoKarabakh region arrive at the border village of Kornidzor in Armenia on September 27, 2023 Photo: Irakli Gedenidze/Portal Armenian refugees who fled the NagornoKarabakh region arrive on Border crossing of the village of Kornidzor, Armenia, on September 27, 2023 Photo: Irakli Gedenidze/Portal
Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of “ethnic cleansing”.
On Monday (25), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a meeting with US authorities that ethnic cleansing against Armenians was underway in NagornoKarabakh.
The Azerbaijani government denied this and promised to respect the rights of the ethnic Armenian population and restore access to the only road connecting the region with the neighboring country, which was closed ten months ago.
Azerbaijan has arrested a former opposition leader
3 of 3 Ruben Vardanyan is escorted by military personnel in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan on September 27, 2023 Photo: Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan/via Portal Ruben Vardanyan is escorted by military personnel in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan on September 27, 2023 September 27. September 2023 Photo: Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan/via Portal
The government of Azerbaijan announced on Wednesday (27) that it had arrested a former head of the separatist government as he tried to cross the border on his way to Armenia. He was accused of “financing terrorism and illegally crossing the border.”
Ruben Vardanyan was taken to the Azerbaijani capital by the armyBaku, where he was handed over to state authorities for trial.
Vardanyan is a billionaire businessman who made his fortune in Russia. He owned a large investment bank and moved to NagornoKarabakh in 2022. He was head of the regional government between November 2022 and February 2023, when he resigned from office.