Azeri takes control of disputed area… Conflict intensifies
Following the recent bloody conflict between arch rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus region connecting Europe and Central Asia, ethnic Armenian residents in Nagorno-Karabakh, a key conflict area, are desperately trying to escape. This was due to concerns about ‘ethnic cleansing’ when Azerbaijan took control of the region.
According to the Associated Press, the Armenian government announced on the 25th that at least 6,650 residents of the Nagorno-Karabakh area entered Armenia. The leadership of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenian Autonomous Government claimed that “99% of the Armenian residents of the region want to enter the country.”
Nagorno-Karabakh, with a population of 120,000, is mostly Armenian, having lived there since the Soviet era. However, this region became part of independent Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and when the Armenians formed an autonomous government and declared independence, it became a flashpoint for the two countries. Religions are also different, with Armenia being Christian and Azerbaijan being Islam.
The two countries have maintained a delicate balance of power through Russia’s mediation, but Azerbaijan attacked on the 19th, claiming that its civilians were killed in a landmine explosion, and took control of the area after receiving a surrender from the autonomous forces on the 20th. When the ceasefire agreement was concluded in this situation, the residents saw that there was no way to survive and began a mass escape. One resident said, “No one is going back. Nagorno-Karabakh is now over forever,” he told Reuters.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.