The crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to wreak havoc, and it is the population who is paying the heaviest price. Since Azerbaijan’s victorious offensive, thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in Armenia. This desperate situation calls for international attention and solidarity.
The France 24 team went to the border between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia to document the arrival of refugees in their new country. The images are heartbreaking: entire families displaced, traumatized children, men and women with lost looks. Everyone had to abandon their lives and their possessions to escape the violence that devastated the region.
The report highlights the precarious conditions in which these refugees now live. Many of them took nothing with them, and found themselves without shelter, without food, without adequate medical care. Local associations are overwhelmed and are doing their best to offer support and assistance to refugees, but resources are limited. The task is immense.
Some testimonies collected in the report are particularly poignant. Grigor, who had to abandon his house, his land and his possessions, expresses his distress at the situation: “How can we get people like that out of their homes? It’s very difficult. It’s our destiny” . These words reflect the pain and heartbreak of the thousands of people who lost everything they had, and who now have to rebuild their lives from scratch.
The Armenian government has committed to welcoming 40,000 refugee families, but the challenges are immense. It will be necessary to provide temporary shelter, food, medical care, and help refugees find a source of income and reintegrate into society. Local associations, already exhausted by the crisis, are doing their best to respond to the urgent needs of refugees, but they need additional support, both in terms of financial resources and volunteers.
Faced with this humanitarian crisis, it is essential that the international community mobilizes and provides support to Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh refugees. Financial assistance, essential supplies and volunteers on the ground can make a real difference in the lives of these people who have lost everything overnight. Each of us can help relieve their suffering and offer them hope for a new life. Now is the time for solidarity and concrete action to help those who need it most.