Forcible Displacement of Armenians from Artsakh
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan announced the launch of an “anti-terrorist” operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, allegedly aimed at “restoring constitutional order,” preventing “large-scale provocations,” and disarming and removing the Armenian army units from the region. A day later, Baku and the authorities of the unrecognized republic signed a Russia-mediated ceasefire agreement, effectively marking the NKR authorities’ acknowledgment of defeat.
On September 25, 2023, a fuel storage facility exploded near the Stepanakert-Askeran highway, at a time when local residents had gathered there to get fuel for their evacuation to Armenia.
“Sixty-eight people were killed in the explosion of a fuel depot near the Stepanakert-Askeran highway in Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Gegham Stepanyan, the Ombudsman of the unrecognized republic, on September 26.
“As of 10:00 p.m. local time on September 26, 68 fatalities had been confirmed as a result of the explosion at the fuel storage facility. The identities of 21 victims have been established. Another 290 people were injured,” www.iz.ru reported. www.iz.ru
Forcible displacement of Armenians from Artsakh began on September 24, 2023
After Azerbaijani troops took control of Nagorno-Karabakh, tens of thousands of Armenians were forced to abandon their homes. Stepanakert, the largest city in Karabakh, was left deserted. Video footage captured by witnesses shows empty streets, abandoned houses, shattered shop windows, and store shelves stripped bare.
“From September 24 to October 1, 100,514 Armenians arrived in Armenia from Nagorno Karabakh,” said Nazeli Baghdasaryan, the press secretary of the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers, while presenting the results of the Humanitarian Center.
48,649 forcibly displaced individuals were provided with temporary housing. According to the Armenian government, some people have declined the assistance, stating they can settle in Yerevan on their own.
On September 30, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that people forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh would begin receiving allowances starting October 1. According to him, each refugee family will receive at least 40,000 AMD (100 USD) per person per month, along with an additional 10,000 AMD ($25) for utility fees. Moreover, the forcibly displaced individuals are entitled to a one-time lump sum assistance of 100,000 AMD ($250). The government has pledged to maintain these allowances for at least the next six months," reported www.gazeta.ru. www.gazeta.ru
In 1988, Nagorno-Karabakh declared secession from the Azerbaijani SSR. As a result of the armed conflict between 1992 and 1994, Baku lost control over the region. In 2022, Pashinyan and Aliyev signed a statement in Prague affirming the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991, which recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
On April 15, 2025, Nikol Pashinyan called for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, effectively suggesting that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict no longer exists.
