Representational picture. Reuters
Armenian separatist officers in Nagorno-Karabakh stated Monday they may keep within the breakaway area following Azerbaijan’s offensive to supervise rescue operations of victims from preventing and a lethal gasoline depot blast.
Armenia separatists say over 200 folks had been killed in preventing with Azerbaijan late final month and {that a} additional 170 died when a gasoline depot exploded as scores of civilians fled Karabakh over ethnic cleaning fears.
After three many years of Armenian management, the separatist authorities have agreed to disarm, dissolve their authorities and reintegrate with Azerbaijan within the wake of Baku’s one-day army operation in late September.
The separatist authorities stated president Samvel Shahramanyan “will stay in (Karabakh’s main city of) Stepanakert with a group of officials until the search and rescue operations for the remainder of those killed and those missing … are completed.”
“The government continues to focus on the issue of those citizens who want to move to the Republic of Armenia,” it added.
Separatist official Artak Beglaryan stated “a few hundred” Armenian representatives stay in Karabkah.
He stated this included “officials, emergency service, volunteers, some persons with special needs.”
Practically all of Karabakh’s estimated 120,000 residents have fled the territory, which has been beneath Armenian management for 3 many years.
Yerevan has accused Azerbaijan of conducting a marketing campaign of “ethnic cleansing” to clear Karabakh of its Armenian inhabitants.
However Baku has denied the declare and has publicly known as on Armenian residents of the territory to remain and “reintegrate” into Azerbaijan the place their rights can be assured.
Azerbaijan is now holding “re-integration” talks with separatist leaders whereas, on the similar time detaining some senior figures from its former authorities and army command.
Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor Basic Kamran Aliyev stated prison investigations had been initiated into battle crimes dedicated by 300 separatist officers.
“I urge on those persons to surrender voluntarily,” he advised journalists on Sunday.