An ethnic Armenian boy from Nagorno-Karabakh seems on from a automotive upon arrival in Armenia’s Goris, within the Syunik area, Armenia, on Monday. Thousands of Armenians have streamed out of Nagorno-Karabakh after the Azerbaijani army reclaimed full management of the breakaway area final week.

Vasily Krestyaninov/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Vasily Krestyaninov/AP

An ethnic Armenian boy from Nagorno-Karabakh seems on from a automotive upon arrival in Armenia’s Goris, within the Syunik area, Armenia, on Monday. Thousands of Armenians have streamed out of Nagorno-Karabakh after the Azerbaijani army reclaimed full management of the breakaway area final week.

Vasily Krestyaninov/AP

YEREVAN, Armenia — A robust blast rocked the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh area Monday night as ethnic Armenians streamed out of the breakaway territory after the Azerbaijani army reclaimed full management of it in a lighting offensive last week.

The explosion at gas storage facility close to the regional capital of Stepanakert wounded greater than 200 individuals, Nagorno-Karabakh human rights ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan stated on X, previously generally known as Twitter. It was not instantly clear what prompted the blast, which occurred as residents have been lining as much as get gas for his or her automobiles with a view to go away the area.

The majority of the victims have been in “severe or extremely severe” situation, Stepanyan stated, including that the victims would have to be airlifted out of the area for medical therapy to save lots of their lives. It was not instantly clear if there have been any deaths.

The Azerbaijani army routed Armenian forces in a 24-hour blitz last week, forcing the separatist authorities to agree to put down weapons and begin talks on Nagorno-Karabakh’s “reintegration” into Azerbaijan after three many years of separatist rule.

While Azerbaijan has pledged to respect the rights of ethnic Armenians within the area and restore provides after a 10-month blockade, many native residents feared reprisals and determined to go away for Armenia.

The Armenian authorities stated that extra 6,500 Nagorno-Karabakh residents had fled to Armenia as of Monday night. Moscow stated that Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh have been helping the evacuation. Some 700 individuals remained within the peacekeepers’ camp there by Monday night time.

This seize taken from video distributed by Siranush Sargsyan’s Twitter account on Monday reveals smoke rising after a gas depot explosion close to Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. Several dozen individuals have been injured at a gasoline station simply exterior of the breakaway area’s capital, Stepanakert, the place a gas tank exploded.

Siranush Sargsyan’s Twitter account through AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Siranush Sargsyan’s Twitter account through AP

This seize taken from video distributed by Siranush Sargsyan’s Twitter account on Monday reveals smoke rising after a gas depot explosion close to Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. Several dozen individuals have been injured at a gasoline station simply exterior of the breakaway area’s capital, Stepanakert, the place a gas tank exploded.

Siranush Sargsyan’s Twitter account through AP

Dozens of individuals have been lining up on the gas facility the place the blast occurred as a result of that they had been promised gas — a shortage through the blockade — for his or her automobiles with a view to transfer to Armenia, based on Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist authorities.

The explosion befell hours after the second spherical of talks between Azerbaijani officers and separatist representatives was held Monday within the city of Khojaly, simply north of the Nagorno-Karabakh capital. The first spherical was held final week. Azerbaijan’s presidential workplace stated in a press release that the talks have been held “in a constructive atmosphere” and that dialogue targeted on humanitarian support to the area and medical providers.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry stated Monday that two of its troopers have been killed a day earlier when a army truck hit a land mine. It did not title the world the place the explosion occurred.

In an deal with to the nation Sunday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated his authorities was working with worldwide companions to guard the rights and safety of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“If these efforts do not produce concrete results, the government will welcome our sisters and brothers from Nagorno-Karabakh in the Republic of Armenia with every care,” he stated.

Demonstrators demanding Pashinyan’s resignation over what they name his failure to guard Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh continued blocking the Armenian capital’s fundamental avenues Monday, clashing often with police.

Russian peacekeepers have been within the area since 2020, when a Russian-brokered armistice ended a six-week war between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinyan and lots of others in Armenia accused the peacekeepers of failing to stop the hostilities and shield the Armenian inhabitants. Moscow rejected the accusations, arguing that its forces had no authorized grounds to intervene, significantly after Pashinyan’s recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan.

“We are categorically against attempts to put the blame on the Russian side, especially the Russian peacekeepers, who have shown a true heroism,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in a convention name with reporters.

He demurred when requested whether or not the Russian peacekeepers would stay within the area, saying that “no one can really say anything for now.”

The battle goes again many years

Nagorno-Karabakh got here below the management of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by the Armenian army, in separatist preventing that led to 1994. During the conflict in 2020, Azerbaijan took again components of Nagorno-Karabakh together with surrounding territory that Armenian forces had claimed through the earlier battle.

In December, Azerbaijan imposed a blockade of the one highway connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, alleging that the Armenian authorities was utilizing the highway for mineral extraction and illicit weapons shipments to the area’s separatist forces.

Armenia charged that the closure denied fundamental meals and gas provides to Nagorno-Karabakh’s roughly 120,000 individuals. Azerbaijan rejected the accusation, arguing the area might obtain provides by means of the Azerbaijani metropolis of Aghdam — an answer lengthy resisted by Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, who referred to as it a technique for Azerbaijan to achieve management of the area.

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged assist for Armenia and Armenians, saying that France will mobilize meals and medical support for the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh, and preserve working towards a ”sustainable peace” within the area.

France, which has a giant Armenian diaspora, has for many years performed a mediating function in Nagorno-Karabakh. Just a few hundred individuals rallied exterior the French Foreign Ministry over the weekend, demanding sanctions in opposition to Azerbaijan and accusing Paris of not doing sufficient to guard Armenian pursuits within the area.

“France is very vigilant about Armenia’s territorial integrity because that is what is at stake,” Macron stated in an interview with France-2 and TF1 tv, accusing Russia of complicity with Azerbaijan and charging that Turkey threatens Armenia’s borders.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, within the meantime, visited Azerbaijan on Monday in a present of assist to its ally.

Russia has been the principle ally and sponsor of Armenia and has a army base there, however it additionally has sought to keep up pleasant ties with Azerbaijan. But Moscow’s clout within the area has waned shortly amid the Russian conflict in Ukraine whereas the affect of Azerbaijan’s prime ally Turkey has elevated.

Erdogan arrived in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave on Monday for talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to debate Turkey-Azerbaijan ties and regional and world points. Nakhchivan is minimize off from the remainder of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory however varieties a slim border with Turkey.

Erdogan and Aliyev signed a deal for a gasoline pipeline and the Turkish chief stated “I’m very pleased to be with all of you as we connect Nakhchivan with the Turkish world.”

Asked about Erdogan’s go to, Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, voiced hope that it’ll “contribute to the regional security and help normalize life in Karabakh.”

Aliyev, at a information convention with Erdogan, stated “It is crystal clear that, independent of their ethnicity, the people living in the Karabakh region are Azerbaijani people so their safety and security is ensured by the Azerbaijani state.”

Meanwhile, the pinnacle of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, visited Armenia Monday to “affirm U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and democracy and to help address humanitarian needs stemming from the recent violence in Nagorno-Karabakh,” her workplace stated in a press release. She was joined by U.S. Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim.

“The United States is deeply concerned about reports on the humanitarian conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh and calls for unimpeded access for international humanitarian organizations and commercial traffic,” USAID stated.

At the United Nations, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric instructed reporters that the world group is anxious in regards to the inflow of individuals into Armenia. “If we are, as the U.N., given access, we stand ready to conduct humanitarian needs assessment and provide assistance to affected people,” he stated. Asked whether or not the U.N. was prepared to take any additional motion, he stated its “focus right now is on possible humanitarian assistance.”