News - ICRC assists in evacuating more than 100 vulnerable individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh

Since September 29, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been actively involved in helping to locate and evacuate over 100 elderly, sick, and disabled individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). Their efforts have been focused on assisting the most vulnerable people during the ongoing crisis. ICRC teams collected and verified information about these vulnerable individuals, allowing them to be located and evacuated safely if they chose to leave. With the support of ICRC, approximately 100 vulnerable individuals were successfully transported to a central square, from where they were then taken to Armenia using the last available buses and ambulances. As of now, a significant number of forcibly displaced people, totaling 100,625, have arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, representing a substantial portion of the population. According to estimates from the UN mission, there may be between 50 and 1,000 people remaining in Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict began on September 19 when Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh. This aggression resulted in numerous casualties and injuries: more than 200 were killed and more than 400 were injured. On September 20, the government of Artsakh accepted a ceasefire proposal. Representatives from Stepanakert and Baku held meetings in Yevlakh on September 21, Ivanyan on September 25, and again in Yevlakh on September 29. Forced displacement of Karabakh residents began on September 24. On September 28, Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree, stating that the Republic of Artsakh would cease to exist on January 1, 2024.