New satellite imagery shows the exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh toward Armenia, as tens of thousands of residents leave the disputed territory.
Long lines of vehicles are visible in satellite images captured Tuesday as ethnic Armenians rush to leave Nagorno-Karabakh following the lifting of an Azerbaijani blockade of the only route from the territory to Armenia.
“Our people do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan,” David Babayan, an adviser to Samvel Shahramanyan, head of the self-proclaimed government in the Republic of Artsakh—the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh—told Reuters. “Ninety-nine-point-nine percent prefer to leave our historic lands.”
Last Tuesday, Baku said it was launching “anti-terrorist” operations against the Armenian-backed de-facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The mountainous South Caucasus exclave is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory but has been under the Armenian-aligned control of Artsakh for three decades.
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About 42,500 ethnic Armenians had crossed into Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan said on Wednesday. About 4,000 people had been given government-provided accommodation so far, an Armenian presidential spokesperson added. About 120,000 ethnic Armenians resided in Nagorno-Karabakh at the start of renewed hostilities last week.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have gone to war twice over Nagorno-Karabakh since the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991, most recently in 2020, when Baku regained territory from Artsakh control. Tensions rose in recent months after Azerbaijan restricted access between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh through the route known as the Lachin Corridor in late 2022.
Baku lifted the blockade late last week following a brief period of hostilities. Reports in recent days suggested heavy congestion along the Lachin Corridor as residents suggested they believed their departure to be the end of Nagorno-Karabakh for good.
After 24 hours of “anti-terrorist” operations, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire they said was brokered by Russian peacekeeping authorities stationed in the territory. Azerbaijan said on Wednesday that 192 of its troops had been killed in the brief operation, with 511 injured.
Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of “ethnic cleansing.” Azerbaijan has denied it.
This follows an explosion at a fuel depot near the city of Khankendi, known as Stepanakert by Armenians, which has killed dozens of people, according to local authorities. At least 68 people have been confirmed dead, according to the Nagorno-Karabakh ombudsman for human rights, with hundreds more injured and missing. It is not yet clear what triggered the lethal blast.
On Tuesday, Armenia’s health ministry said 67 people injured in the explosion were being treated at the National Burn Center of the Ministry of Health in Yerevan. On Monday, Artsakh human rights ombudsman, Gegham Stepanyan, said the injuries of most of those hurt in the explosion were severe or extremely severe. Medical facilities in Nagorno-Karabakh are not enough, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The U.S. is sending additional humanitarian aid, such as hygiene kits, blankets and clothing, to help those displaced by the hostilities, the White House said on Tuesday.