The Ethnic-Cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh

The Nagorno-Karabakh  conflict appears to be coming to a disastrous conclusion for the Armenian people.  The conflict began near the end of the Cold War in 1988 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  Armenia & Azerbaijan both became autonomous states.  However, the region of Nargorno-Karabakh, which is a predominanty Armenian region within Azerbaijan's borders, voted to break off and join with Armenia, leading to a six-year conflict resulting in an Armenian victory in 1994.  The conflict ended with over 30,000 people dead, along with approximately 700,000 Azeris & 400,000 Armenians dispersed.  Unfortunately, the conflict did not end there.  Border clashes continued for years until 2020 when the Azeris attacked an overwhelmed the Armenian forces.  Although a ceasefire was called with Russian forces acting as peacekeepers, the peace soon broke down with the Azeris going back on the offensive in the month of September.  Now, the Armenians are being given two choices: live under Azeri domain, or leave.  Over 60,000 Armenians (nearly half of the population) are choosing to leave.  

In 2020, Armenia was defeated due to the overwhelming firepower advantage that the Azeris gained, primarily from their alliance with Turkey.  This time, Armenia chose not to intervene when the Azeris again attacked the Nagorno-Karabakh, leaving the semi-autonomous republic to fend for itself, out of fear of once again entering into an all out war with Azerbaijan, a war that they stood little chance of winning.  Azeri leaders are now demanding the full demilitarization of the Armenian forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh and that they "bend their necks" and accept Azeri domain over the region.  Though Azeri leaders assure that Armenians in the region will be give full citizenship rights, many view this as nothing but an empty promise and are taking it upon themselves to leave.  Many citizens who fled told reporters that they were only granted 15 minutes to gather their things before fleeing for the Armenian border.  Others reported Armenian men being seized on the roads and taken away by Azeri soldiers, most likely to be executed and other reports of Armenian women being raped, stirring up fears that the Azeris may perpetrate a genocide on the populace akin to what the Turks did to the Armenians in 1915.  The Russian "Peacekeepers," preoccupied with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, largely stood by and watched.  With their government surrendering and half of the population fleeing, some are predicting that within a year there won't be any Armenians left in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, and that this ancient community, much like the Armenian community that once thrived in Turkey prior to W.W.I., will cease to exist.  

Sources:

Edwards, Christian.  "Nagorno-Karabakh Will Cease t=To Exist From Next Year.  How Did This Happen?"  CNN.  Sept. 28, 2023.  Accessed from https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/28/europe/nagorno-karabakh-officially-dissolve-intl/index.html.

Haroun, Azmi.  "The Crowds of Armenians Fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh are so Big You Can See Them From Space."  Insider.  "Sept. 27, 2023.  Accessed from https://www.businessinsider.com/cowds-of-armenians-fleeing-nagorno-karabakh-are-visible-from-space-2023-9.

Higgins, Andrew & Ivan Nechepurenko.  "A Stunningly Sudden End to a Long, Bloody Conflict in the Caucuses."  The New York Times.  Sept. 27, 2023.  Accessed from  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/world/europe/nagorno-karabakh-armenia-azerbaijan.html