A UN mission arrived in Nagorno Karabakh after three decades, Azerbaijan announced. This occurred just as more than 80% of the local Armenian population was leaving the region after Baku took it over. Pope Francis expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in the area as Armenia began a housing program for the tens of thousands of refugees who have arrived in its territory since Baku seized the enclave.
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A representative of the presidency of Azerbaijan reported on Sunday, October 1, that a United Nations mission arrived in the Nagorno-Karabakh region with the main objective of providing humanitarian assistance.
The UN had previously announced approval to send its mission to the region. The Armenians, who had maintained control of Nagorno-Karabakh for three decades, surrendered and agreed to disarm last week after a swift offensive by Azerbaijan.
In total, nearly 600 people have lost their lives as a result of this military offensive. In the clashes, approximately 200 soldiers from each side lost their lives.
Since then, the region has been virtually uninhabited, with more than 100,000 refugees fleeing to Armenia due to fear of retaliation from Azerbaijan. This has raised concerns about a serious humanitarian crisis, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, announced: “We have activated our emergency systems and will send experts in various disciplines such as mental health, burn management, essential health services and emergency coordination to the country. , after a complete needs assessment.”
“The challenges are really enormous, and we are here to do everything we can,” he added.
Pope Francis warns about a “dramatic” humanitarian situation
Pope Francis also expressed his concern on Sunday about the situation in the conflict zone.
“These days, I am following with concern the dramatic situation of the displaced people in Nagorno Karabakh,” declared Pope Francis from St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Furthermore, he called for dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, expressing the hope that “talks between the parties, with the support of the international community, will lead to a lasting agreement that will end the humanitarian crisis.”
Although the Pope had already expressed his concern about this conflict on several occasions, in recent months he had not directly mentioned the two countries involved. During the general audience on September 20, he urged “all parties involved” (without naming Azerbaijan or Armenia) and the international community to take measures “to cease hostilities” in this South Caucasus region.
In his message to the ambassadors to the Holy See on January 9, the head of the Catholics requested respect for the ceasefire and the release of civil and military prisoners in this part of the Caucasus, again without mentioning Armenia or Azerbaijan .
Armenia implements housing aid program for displaced people
On the other hand, the Government of Armenia announced the implementation of an assistance program aimed at forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh who lack housing in the country and are not in the reception centers managed by the authorities.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian – widely criticized for not sending military support to the region – announced, through his Facebook page, that each displaced person in the aforementioned situation will receive monthly aid of 40,000 drams, equivalent to about $100, to cover your accommodation costs.
Additionally, each of them will receive monthly assistance of 10,000 drams, which is equivalent to about 25 dollars, used to pay for public services.
Azerbaijan issues international search and arrest warrants for more than 300 Armenians
In parallel, Azerbaijani authorities have issued international arrest warrants for more than 300 Armenians accused of crimes committed since the beginning of the more than 30-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kiamran Aliev announced in a press conference this Sunday.
“We have collected evidence of all these crimes. 300 criminal cases have been initiated, and international search and arrest warrants have been issued against more than 300 accused in absentia,” Aliev said.
The former president of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Araik Arutiunian, and the former Minister of Defense, Dzhal Arutiunian, are among those sought by Azerbaijani justice. Both are accused of ordering missile strikes that resulted in numerous Azerbaijani civilian casualties during the 2020 war.
Since last Thursday, when the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic announced its dissolution after capitulating to the authorities in Baku, four of its former senior officials have been detained. The last of them is the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Babayán.
Former Minister of State (Prime Minister) Ruben Vardarian and two former senior commanders of the Karabakh armed forces, David Manukian and Levon Mnatsakanián, have also been arrested.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a region that is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, although its population is mainly Armenian. Armenians consider this region to be the heart of their civilization. In 1921, Stalin annexed it to the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic, before it separated from Azerbaijan and became independent in 1991.
Over the past three decades, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been involved in three armed conflicts for control of this region. The dissolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which was never recognized internationally, including by Armenia, was announced on Thursday. This marks the complete victory of Baku and paves the way for the reintegration of this territory into Azerbaijan.
Reuters, EFE, AFP
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