02:15More than 40,000 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh crossed the Armenian border near the town of Goris, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hovhannes Harutyunyan said on Wednesday.
Footage shows volunteers working at a refugee reception point and distributing humanitarian aid.
"We’ve received more than 40,000 people and expect more to come because I just came from the border checkpoint, there are a lot of cars queuing there. People have been queuing for 40 hours, they are hungry, they haven't slept, you could say, since the 19th [of September]," Harutyunyan said.
Narine, a refugee from Stepanakert, said she decided to leave her home in Nagorno-Karabakh in order to protect her children.
"I slept in this morning, I had a feeling that I was just a guest and we were about to go home now. It felt as if it was alright, the kids were asleep. I had a feeling that everyone was going to go home. And then I realised no," the woman said.
"You shouldn't risk your children. No matter what might happen to the house or to anything else, the most important thing is the children," Narine added.
On Thursday, the Head of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree to dissolve all state institutions and cease the existence of the republic from January 1, 2024.
The population of Nagorno-Karabakh was invited to familiarise themselves with the terms of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan and make a decision on the possibility of further residence in the region.
On the same day, Armenian Prime Minister's spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said during an evening briefing that '76,407 forcibly displaced persons' crossed the Armenian border, among whom 'around 55,248 people were registered'.
The year-long conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of Azerbaijan's counter-terrorist operation in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on both parties of the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of a 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was the 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and dissolution of the so-called regime'.
For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
On Wednesday, Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
'We've received 40,000 people and expect more to come' - Karabakh refugees keep arriving in Goris
More than 40,000 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh crossed the Armenian border near the town of Goris, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hovhannes Harutyunyan said on Wednesday.
Footage shows volunteers working at a refugee reception point and distributing humanitarian aid.
"We’ve received more than 40,000 people and expect more to come because I just came from the border checkpoint, there are a lot of cars queuing there. People have been queuing for 40 hours, they are hungry, they haven't slept, you could say, since the 19th [of September]," Harutyunyan said.
Narine, a refugee from Stepanakert, said she decided to leave her home in Nagorno-Karabakh in order to protect her children.
"I slept in this morning, I had a feeling that I was just a guest and we were about to go home now. It felt as if it was alright, the kids were asleep. I had a feeling that everyone was going to go home. And then I realised no," the woman said.
"You shouldn't risk your children. No matter what might happen to the house or to anything else, the most important thing is the children," Narine added.
On Thursday, the Head of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree to dissolve all state institutions and cease the existence of the republic from January 1, 2024.
The population of Nagorno-Karabakh was invited to familiarise themselves with the terms of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan and make a decision on the possibility of further residence in the region.
On the same day, Armenian Prime Minister's spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said during an evening briefing that '76,407 forcibly displaced persons' crossed the Armenian border, among whom 'around 55,248 people were registered'.
The year-long conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of Azerbaijan's counter-terrorist operation in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on both parties of the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of a 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was the 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and dissolution of the so-called regime'.
For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
On Wednesday, Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
More than 40,000 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh crossed the Armenian border near the town of Goris, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hovhannes Harutyunyan said on Wednesday.
Footage shows volunteers working at a refugee reception point and distributing humanitarian aid.
"We’ve received more than 40,000 people and expect more to come because I just came from the border checkpoint, there are a lot of cars queuing there. People have been queuing for 40 hours, they are hungry, they haven't slept, you could say, since the 19th [of September]," Harutyunyan said.
Narine, a refugee from Stepanakert, said she decided to leave her home in Nagorno-Karabakh in order to protect her children.
"I slept in this morning, I had a feeling that I was just a guest and we were about to go home now. It felt as if it was alright, the kids were asleep. I had a feeling that everyone was going to go home. And then I realised no," the woman said.
"You shouldn't risk your children. No matter what might happen to the house or to anything else, the most important thing is the children," Narine added.
On Thursday, the Head of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree to dissolve all state institutions and cease the existence of the republic from January 1, 2024.
The population of Nagorno-Karabakh was invited to familiarise themselves with the terms of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan and make a decision on the possibility of further residence in the region.
On the same day, Armenian Prime Minister's spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said during an evening briefing that '76,407 forcibly displaced persons' crossed the Armenian border, among whom 'around 55,248 people were registered'.
The year-long conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on Tuesday, September 19, with the beginning of Azerbaijan's counter-terrorist operation in the region. On the same day, Moscow called on both parties of the conflict to declare a ceasefire and start negotiations.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of a 'systematic shelling of its army positions' and announced 'anti-terrorist measures of a local nature' in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the only way to achieve peace in the region was the 'unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and dissolution of the so-called regime'.
For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that there were no Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry called the events a 'large-scale aggression'.
On Wednesday, Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed NKR said that its authorities had decided to lay down arms for a ceasefire from 13:00 local time (09:00 GMT). Baku also announced the suspension of its 'anti-terrorist measures'.
Nagorno-Karabakh - formerly an autonomous region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population - broke away from Azerbaijan in the final years of the USSR, establishing a self-proclaimed, independent but internationally unrecognised entity.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, and after a major war in 2020 regained control over large parts of the region. In May 2023, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.