More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population flees as separatist government says it will dissolve

By AVET DEMOURIAN
Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenian officials say more than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s original population have fled the region for Armenia. It comes as the separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh says it will dissolve itself and the unrecognized republic will cease to exist by the end of the year. By Friday morning 84,770 people had left Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian officials said. The region’s population was around 120,000 before the exodus began. The move to dissolve the government follows Azerbaijan’s offensive last week to reclaim full control over the region. Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh have agreed to lay down their weapons. Nagorno-Karabakh was run by ethnic Armenian separatist authorities for about 30 years but was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory.