Ethnic Armenian Refugees Flee Nagorno-Karabakh Amid Ethnic Cleansing Concerns

Amid concerns of ethnic cleansing, thousands of ethnic Armenian refugees have fled Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan’s seizure of the disputed region. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned that ethnic cleansing is “underway” in the region and expressed disappointment in the international community’s response. Over 6,500 people have crossed into Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, which is home to a majority of around 120,000 ethnic Armenians.

The Armenian government has announced plans to assist those displaced by the conflict, but details of how they will handle the influx remain unclear. Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians for three decades, has seen ongoing violence, including the recent deaths of Russian peacekeepers, ethnic Armenians, and Azerbaijani soldiers. Concerns persist for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, as only one aid delivery has been allowed since separatists agreed to disarm.