UN Mission Arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh After Ethnic-Armenian Population Flee

• 03 Oct 2023

Recently, a United Nations mission reached Nagorno-Karabakh, as confirmed by an Azerbaijani presidency spokesman, primarily to assess humanitarian needs in the region.

Key Points

• Historic Access: This marks the first instance in approximately 30 years that the United Nations has been able to enter the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• Background: The mission arrives following a recent one-day Azerbaijani offensive that led to Armenian separatists agreeing to disarm, dissolve their government, and reintegrate with Azerbaijan.
• Disarmament of Separatists: Armenian separatists, who had controlled Nagorno-Karabakh for three decades, agreed to disarm and reintegrate with Baku following the Azerbaijani offensive.
• Mass Exodus: Nearly all of Nagorno-Karabakh's estimated 120,000 residents fled the territory, leading to a refugee crisis.
• Emergency Appeal: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs ($22 million) to assist those fleeing the conflict.
• Reintegration Talks: Azerbaijan is engaged in "reintegration" discussions with separatist leaders while detaining some senior figures from the former government and military command.