Thousands Flee To Armenia Amid Regional Tensions

On Monday, thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh continued to pour into Armenia following a summit where leaders from Azerbaijan and Turkey celebrated Baku's recent victory in the rebel enclave. As the region grapples with escalating tensions, Russia has responded to accusations from Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who blamed Moscow for the rapid defeat of the breakaway territory. In the days following the conflict, refugees began arriving in Armenia, with 6,650 individuals entering the country by Monday, according to Yerevan. Reporters from AFP witnessed refugees gathering at a humanitarian center established in a local theater in the city of Goris, where they registered for transportation and housing. Nagorno-Karabakh has been a contentious issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan, resulting in two wars in the last three decades. In September, Azerbaijan launched a swift operation to seize control of the territory, compelling separatists to lay down their arms as part of a ceasefire agreement. The recent fighting has strained the situation further, with the separatists reporting 200 casualties. Azerbaijan also confirmed the loss of two soldiers when their vehicle hit a mine on Sunday. Despite Baku's efforts to engage in peace talks with Nagorno-Karabakh's ethnic Armenian community, many residents from the region now appear to be trying to leave, causing traffic congestion on the road to Armenia. At the Goris refugee center, Valentina Asryan, a 54-year-old who fled with her grandchildren, recounted her family's ordeal, with her brother-in-law killed and several others injured by Azerbaijani fire. She expressed her disbelief at the presence of Azerbaijani forces in historic Armenian villages. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Azerbaijan's "historic success" during a meeting with Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev, emphasizing the window of opportunity for regional stability. However, Armenia's Prime Minister pointed fingers at Russia for the unfavorable outcome, indicating a rupture in the countries' security pact. This drew a stern response from Moscow, which accused Armenia of jeopardizing its longstanding ties with Russia. With Russia engaged in its own conflict in Ukraine, it refused to come to Armenia's aid, arguing that Yerevan had recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Russian peacekeepers are now assisting Azerbaijan in disarming the Karabakh rebels. The United States, along with the European Union, has been attempting to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but their efforts have faced challenges. Armenia's prime minister is under domestic pressure from Nagorno-Karabakh supporters who have been protesting in Yerevan since the ceasefire agreement. These protests are expected to continue. Meanwhile, in Azerbaijan's second city, Ganja, residents celebrated their government's victory, with some expressing hope that Armenians would accept Azerbaijani citizenship as tensions persist in the region.