A stream of ethnic Armenian refugees is growing as they flee Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan's seizure of the disputed region. Over 6,500 individuals have already made their way into Armenia from the enclave, which is predominantly inhabited by 120,000 ethnic Armenians. The decision to leave came after the Yerevan government announced plans to relocate those left homeless by the conflict. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has cautioned that ethnic cleansing is occurring in the region. Azerbaijan has expressed its desire to reintegrate the ethnic Armenians as equal citizens.


Representatives from Armenia and Azerbaijan are scheduled to meet in Brussels for talks facilitated by the EU, marking the first such negotiations since the seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh. The US State Department has encouraged both sides to reach a lasting peace agreement. In the main city of Karabakh, Stepanakert, an explosion at a petrol station reportedly resulted in severe injuries to over 200 individuals, according to local human rights ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan.


As people continue to flee, traffic congestion is building up at the Armenian border. The BBC has interviewed several refugees who arrived in the city of Goris in Armenia on Sunday, near the Karabakh border. One man stated, "I gave my whole life to my homeland. It would be better if they killed me than this." A woman named Veronica, who had become a refugee for the second time, disclosed that the first occurrence happened during the conflict in 2020.


The main square in Goris is overwhelmed with people, and nearby theaters have been transformed into a Red Cross base. Tatiana Oganesyan, a doctor and head of a foundation consisting of doctors and volunteers providing assistance to the refugees in Goris, reported that those seeking medical help are fatigued, malnourished, and psychologically devastated. She mentioned that people are in shock, desperately requesting specific medications. The doctors must identify the required medication and procure it for them.


An elderly woman who recently arrived in Goris claimed, "We have nothing," while pointing at her sweater, which was all she could bring with her from home. Her son, who was using crutches, stood nearby. Referring to Azerbaijani rule, the refugees being processed in the nearby village of Kornidzor stated that they did not believe they could be safe and did not anticipate being able to return home. On Sunday, the Armenian government announced that it had already provided hundreds of refugees with government-funded housing but has yet to disclose a clear plan to manage the influx of people. Prime Minister Pashinyan previously declared that preparations were in place to support up to 40,000 refugees.


Armenians interviewed by the BBC have expressed readiness to welcome refugees into their homes. In Yerevan, more than 140 individuals were reportedly arrested on Monday due to the latest anti-government protests, with special forces detaining demonstrators who had blocked roads. The police were stationed outside the main government building, which houses the prime minister's offices and has been the target of the protesters. The demonstrations initially erupted over the government's handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. Prime Minister Pashinyan has faced accusations of granting too many concessions to Azerbaijan, leading to calls for his resignation.


Following a rapid offensive by the Azerbaijan military, the Armenian separatist forces in the territory agreed to disarm on Wednesday. Armenia has consistently asserted that any mass exodus from the region would be the responsibility of the Azerbaijani authorities. In a televised address on Sunday, Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized that many within the enclave would perceive expulsion as their only way out unless Azerbaijan provided genuine living conditions and effective mechanisms to prevent ethnic cleansing. He reiterated his government's willingness to "lovingly welcome our brothers and sisters."


David Babayan, an adviser to Nagorno-Karabakh's ethnic Armenian leader Samvel Shahramanyan, expressed his expectation that almost everyone would leave. He stated that his people "do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan" and added that 99.9% of them would prefer to abandon their historic lands.