Following the victory of Azerbaijani forces, tens of 1000’s of ethnic Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh for sanctuary in Armenia.
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The world is witnessing one other mass exodus, this time from Nagorno-Karabakh. Officers say some 50,000 individuals have fled the enclave and crossed into Armenia. Ethnic Armenians are abandoning what they see as their ancestral homeland, quite than be dominated by Azerbaijan. NPR’s Philip Reeves studies.
PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: It started this final weekend with just a few thousand. At this time, by mid-afternoon native time, it was practically half the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh – a river of individuals leaving their mountain houses to affix an enormous line of automobiles, buses, vans and tractors, jamming the highway, which winds right down to Armenia.
DIANA ARUSHANYAN: They’re really arriving with nothing – actually nothing – as a result of they did not have any time to take their garments, to take something from their houses.
REEVES: Diana Arushanyan is a volunteer with the Ethos Basis, an Armenia-based help group. She’s been up and down that mountain highway in the previous couple of days, serving to these now fleeing.
ARUSHANYAN: Really, they’re mentally completely damaged. That is the worst factor as a result of they’re, like, very scared.
REEVES: They embrace a lot of frightened youngsters, she says.
ARUSHANYAN: The youngsters are largely silent, and they’re simply making an attempt to stay to their mother and father.
REEVES: Nagorno-Karabakh’s been the main target of battle within the Caucasus since shortly earlier than the Soviet Union fell aside. Its Armenian residents think about it an autonomous republic. The worldwide group says it is Azerbaijan’s. Final week, after blockading the enclave for months, Azerbaijan launched a lightning navy assault and took management.
SAMANTHA POWER: We have to be sure that the worldwide group will get entry into Nagorno-Karabakh.
REEVES: Samantha Energy is head of the U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement. She’s been visiting the area.
POWER: There are nonetheless tens of 1000’s of ethnic Armenians who’re there, dwelling in very susceptible circumstances.
REEVES: These embrace help employee Diana Arushanyan’s grandparents and dozens of different members of the family. She says she’s worrying about them on a regular basis.
ARUSHANYAN: I am simply, like, very anxious 24/7. I simply do not know if one thing goes to occur with them particularly.
REEVES: Philip Reeves, NPR Information.
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