2: Flight

2 Years ago today (September 24, 2023) 120,000 Armenians were stranded in Nagorno-Karabakh when it was completely occupied by Azerbaijan on September 20, 2023 and were forced to flee from Nagorno-Karabakh to the rest of Armenia due to Anti-Armenian violence by Azerbaijan.

(Armenians trying to flee Nagorno-Karabakh - September 2023)

Anti-Armenian Sentiment is widespread in Azerbaijan. A 2022 Poll found that 91% of Azeris perceive Armenians as the “biggest threat to Azerbaijan.”

This is not a modern trend:

From 1918-1920 when Azerbaijan was independent there were organized killings of Armenians in Baku and Shusa. 20,000 Armenians were murdered in Shusa and 30,000 Armenians were murdered in Baku.

February-March 1988 Sumgait Pogrom where 200 Armenians were murdered by the Azeris and an unknown number wounded during Soviet Times.

September 1988 Armenian Expulsion in Shusa where a 61 year old Armenian was killed and 33 Armenians were wounded by the Azeris during Soviet Times.

The January 1990 Baku Pogrom where the Azeris murdered 90 Armenians and wounded 700 Armenians in the Azeri Capital during Soviet Times.

From 1988-1990 250,000 Armenians were deported or forced to flee from Azerbaijan.

The Nagorno-Karabakh War has been going on since 1990 in different stages:

The 1st Nagorno-Karabakh War was from 1992-1994 with an Armenian Victory. 4,000 Armenian Civilians were killed. 500,000 Armenians were displaced from Azeri Territory.

The 2nd Nagorno-Karabakh War was in 2020 with an Azeri Victory. 85 Armenian Civilians were killed. 100,00 Armenians were displaced.

1,960 Russian Peacekeepers were sent to Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, but were ineffective to stop the violence or to protect Civilians from the Ceasefire Breaches.

Blockade of the Lachin Corridor (connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia) forcing the layoffs of over 11,000 Armenians and extreme scarcity of electricity, water, food, medicines, etc.

The 3rd Nagorno-Karabakh War was in September 2023 with an Azeri Victory. 10 Armenians were killed and 120,000 Armenians were displaced.

The 120,000 Armenian Civilians stuck in Azeri-Controlled Nagorno-Karabakh and fleeing to Armenia in September 2023 had to undergo tight Azeri Military Checkpoints and searches (where many of their household goods were taken from them and many Armenians were arrested and kept by the Azeris

Only a few Armenian Elderly and Disabled stayed in Azeri-Controlled Nagorno-Karabakh (because they couldn’t physically flee.) Azeri Authorities took their Passports and have been monitoring their communications.

A Peace Treaty signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan in August 2025 aims to end the Nagorno-Karabakh War and to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Note: Nagorno-Karabakh has had Armenians living there since the 7th Century BC and has many ancient Christian Churches and Monasteries - most of which have been destroyed or defaced by the Azeris. Armenians had always been more than 50% of the population.

 

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