After the escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, more than 20,000 Armenians have fled the region. At least 20 people were killed in the explosion in a fuel depot. The situation in the hospitals is chaotic.
After the Azerbaijani military’s victory in Nagorno-Karabakh, thousands of Armenians are leaving the Caucasus region. According to the Russian news agency RIA, 20,270 of the 120,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have arrived in Armenia. Nine hours earlier, according to Armenian information, there were around 13,550 people who had entered Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh.
People usually leave Nagorno-Karabakh in cars and buses. On Monday, the leadership of the enclave in Azerbaijan announced that anyone who wanted to travel to Armenia after Azerbaijan’s military operation last week could do so. There are traffic jams on the roads leading from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Free fuel will be provided to those who want to leave, authorities said.
At least 20 dead and 290 injured
At least 20 people were killed in an explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh yesterday. According to local authorities, 290 people were injured and taken to hospitals. Dozens of them were said to be in critical condition.
The authorities reported a strong explosion on Monday evening not far from the regional capital of the embattled region. The cause of the explosion is still unclear.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said hundreds of people were injured and suffered burns in a fire caused by the explosion. Medicines would be delivered to Nagorno-Karabakh. The ICRC also helps to treat the injured and take them away in ambulances. According to the ICRC, overcrowded hospitals and traffic jams caused by the exodus of ethnic Armenians are problematic.
Chaotic conditions in hospitals
The explosion is said to have occurred as residents were waiting to refuel their cars. Gasoline has been scarce in the area for months.
The office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Commissioner wrote on Platform X that its own medical capacities were not sufficient to save people’s lives.
Azerbaijan ready to receive burnt victims
The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, which has long been contested between the two feuding former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan, is catastrophic. Azerbaijanis have been blocking the only Armenian access road for months, which is why food, medicine and gasoline are in short supply in the region.
The Armenian Ministry of Health said a helicopter had brought some victims of the explosion to Armenia in the morning. More flights are expected. Azerbaijan also offered to provide medical treatment to fire victims from Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals in several counties have been prepared to care for a large number of patients from Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani presidential adviser Hikmet Hajiyev said on the X platform.
EU wants to increase aid to five million euros
The EU announced that it would increase its humanitarian aid for Nagorno-Karabakh to five million euros. The Commission announced this in Brussels. It is important to prepare to support thousands who want to flee the region – especially with a view to the upcoming winter, said the responsible EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic.
The EU’s support includes the 500,000 euros in emergency aid announced last Thursday as well as 4.5 million euros in new funds. The money is intended, on the one hand, for around 25,000 refugees and, on the other hand, for around 60,000 people in Nagorno-Karabakh, who will be provided with food, medical assistance and accommodation.