The images of the flight from Nagorno Karabakh of thousands of Armenians who fear ‘ethnic cleansing’

A growing stream of ethnic Armenian refugees are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan’s takeover of the disputed region last week.

So far, more than 6,500 people have entered Armenia from the enclave, which is home to about 120,000 ethnic Armenians, who make up the majority of the population.

They left after the Yerevan government announced plans to relocate those left homeless by the takeover.

The Armenian Prime Minister said that the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Armenians is ‘ongoing’.

“That is happening now, and it is a very unfortunate development because we tried to warn the international community about it,” Nikol Pashinian told reporters.

Azerbaijan said it wants to reintegrate ethnic Armenians as “equal citizens.”

Meanwhile, there are large traffic jams at the border with Armenia.

The BBC spoke to some refugees who arrived on Sunday in the town of Goris, near the border between Armenia, Nagorno and Karabakh.

“I gave my whole life to my country,” said one man. “It would be better to be killed than this.”

A woman named Veronica told the BBC that it was the second time she had become a refugee. The first was during the 2020 conflict.

The central square of Goris is busy. The nearby theater has been converted into a Red Cross base.

Tatiana Oganesian, director of a foundation of doctors and volunteers now helping refugees in Goris, told the BBC that the people they care for are exhausted, malnourished and psychologically crushed.

“We have nothing,” says an old woman who has just arrived in Goris. He points to his sweater and says this is all he can bring from home. Her son sits next to her on crutches.

Up to 40,000 refugees

In the nearby town of Kornidzor, refugees being treated said they did not believe they could be safe under Azerbaijani rule and did not expect to ever return to their homes.

In Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital Stepanakert, Armenian separatist authorities said there were reports of casualties following an explosion at a gas station, with an unspecified number of dead. It is unclear what caused the explosion.

Yerevan said in a statement on Sunday that hundreds of refugees had already received government-funded housing.

But the country has not yet released a clear plan for how it can deal with the influx of people. Prime Minister Pashinian announced last week that there are plans to provide shelter for up to 40,000 refugees.

Armenians the BBC spoke to said they are ready to welcome refugees into their homes.

Meanwhile, more than 140 people were arrested in Yerevan on Monday following the latest anti-government protests, according to local media citing the Interior Ministry.

Tass news agency said special forces have started arresting protesters blocking roads in Yerevan.

Police were also stationed outside the main government building, where the prime minister’s offices are located and where protesters tried to break into.

Protests first broke out last week over the government’s handling of the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinian is accused of making too many concessions to Azerbaijan and there are calls for his resignation.

Armenian separatist forces in the area agreed to disarm on Wednesday, following a swift Azerbaijani military offensive.

Armenia has repeatedly said that a mass exodus from the region would be the fault of Azerbaijani authorities.

In a televised address on Sunday, Pashinian said many within the enclave would “see expulsion from the homeland as the only way out” unless Azerbaijan provided “genuine living conditions” and “effective protection mechanisms against ethnic cleansing.”

He reiterated that his government is ready to “welcome with love” its “brothers and sisters.”

“They don’t want to live as part of Azerbaijan”

David Babaian, an adviser to Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic Armenian leader Samvel Shahramanian, told Reuters he expected almost everyone to flee.

The population “does not want to live as part of Azerbaijan.” “99.9% prefer to leave our historic country,” he stated.

“The fate of our poor people will go down in history as a shame for the Armenian people and for the entire civilized world,” he told Reuters.

“Those responsible for our destiny will one day have to answer for their sins before God.”

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region in the South Caucasus, is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians for 30 years.

The enclave has the support of Armenia, but also of its ally Russia, which has had hundreds of soldiers there for years.

Five Russian peacekeepers were killed – along with at least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers – when the Azerbaijani army invaded the area last week.

On Sunday, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said it had seized more military equipment, including a large number of rockets, artillery shells, mines and ammunition.

Despite public assurances from Azerbaijan, there is concern about the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh residents, as only one aid delivery of 70 tons of food has passed since the separatists accepted a ceasefire and agreed on disarmament.

Ethnic Armenian leaders say thousands of people have no food or shelter and are sleeping in basements, school buildings or outside. (JO)