EXODUS FROM KARABAKH

In late September 2023, Azerbaijan renewed its efforts to gain control of the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The ethnic Armenian authorities, who had been in de facto control of the territory for the last three decades, had just surrendered. The attack had been preceded by a nine-month Azerbaijani blockade that had gradually reduced the food supply for the approximately 100,000 people living there.

People in Karabakh were hoping for hoping for salvation to come from somewhere: Armenia, which had provided support to the unrecognized, self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic for three decades; Russia, Armenia's traditional security patron, which had 2,000 peacekeepers deployed to Karabakh; or the broader international community, to which Armenians appealed based on ideals of human rights and humanitarianism. Ultimately, however, the hoped-for salvation did not materialize.

Following the September surrender, the territory's population chose to leave the area en masse, taking with them only what they could pack in their cars. With over 100,000 people leaving at once, the single road connecting Karabakh to Armenia was unfortunately unable to cope with the volume of traffic. It is estimated that it took people 24 hours or longer to make the roughly 80-kilometer drive. Upon finally crossing the Armenian border, people were greeted by volunteers offering food, tea, and temporary places to stay.

The defeat of Nagorno-Karabakh's ethnic Armenians represents a significant challenge in the decades-long conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians over the territory. The former population of Karabakh has now largely departed from the territory. The future of Karabakh's displaced Armenians remains uncertain.