Nagorno-Karabakh: the population of the capital Stepanakert evacuated

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh passing through Vardenis on their way to Armenia.

AP Photo

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

In the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani forces are closer than ever to the town of Shoushi and even to the capital Stepanakert.

Battles of great intensity have been taking place there for several days.

The order was given to evacuate the population of the capital and its surroundings.

Publicity

Read more

With our special correspondent in Vardenis,

This Saturday evening, the small town of Vardenis, in the east of Armenia, was the scene of a sad parade.

Old Volga and Jigoulis cars bending under the weight of luggage and cardboard boxes piled up on the gallery, minibuses full of elderly people who left with a bundle on their backs, ambulances making their way, howling sirens ...

The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities gave the order on Saturday afternoon to evacuate the population of Stepanakert and surrounding villages, due to the severity of the fighting taking place there.

Main road to Armenia blocked

After 10 p.m. on Saturday night, hundreds of vehicles gathered in the muddy streets of Vardenis, before reaching other parts of Armenia.

Vardenis is the first town to leave the so-called “

North

», Which remains the only practicable way out of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Some sections are subject to regular fire by Azerbaijani forces.

The

, which goes through the Lachin Corridor further south, has been closed since Azerbaijani commandos operate around the town of Shoushi, which is on this road.

Control of Shoushi is a top priority for Azerbaijani forces, especially to prevent Armenia from supplying the Nagorno-Karabakh army.

►Also listen: Orient weekly - Nagorno-Karabakh: the underside of a conflict

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• Nagorno-Karabakh

• Azerbaijan

• Armenia

On the same subject

European accents

Armenians in Turkey: “collateral” victims of escalating violence in Nagorno-Karabakh

Nagorno-Karabakh: UN cites war crimes and use of cluster munitions

European of the week

Nagorno-Karabakh: Artur Arustamyan, ferryman of memory