Last Tuesday, in a single day, Baku brought Nagorno-Karabakh, which belongs to Azerbaijan under international law but has operated as a breakaway “republic” since 1990 and is majority Armenian, under its control. Armenia did not rush to help the enclave, and as a result violent demonstrations against President Nikol Pasingan have erupted ever since.
According to available information Nearly five thousand have already left the area, Karabakh Armenian politician David Babacan believes that the entire 120,000 Armenian population of the region will flee in the near future.
Azerbaijan opened the Lashini Corridor, which connects Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia with Armenians, It also provides refugees with a free route to the city of Kalbakar. The separatist government that has so far led the region also offers residents the freedom to leave.
At the same time, the disarmament of the Armenian armed forces in Karabakh also began. Baku emphasizes amnesty for surrendering soldiers Respect their nationality and human rights, However, based on historical experience, most Armenians do not trust these promises:
In 1988, a week-long pogrom began in Sumkait and its environs against Armenians there, and the Soviet army entered the city to suppress the movements. Six Azerbaijanis died during the riots and have since been celebrated as national heroes.
Cover image illustration, Source: Zeferli via Getty Images
