First Nagorno-Karabakh refugees arrive in Armenia after Azerbaijan's military offensive

first refugees from Nagor-Karabakh have arrived in Armenia, local officials reported on Sunday, and more were expected to come after a 10-month blockade and a lightning military offensive this month that resulted in Azerbaijan reclaiming full control of breakaway region.

Thousands of people were evacuated from cities and vills affected by latest fighting and taken to a Russian peacekeepers' camp in Nagor-Karabakh.

first group of about 30 people has arrived from Nagor-Karabakh to Armenia's Syunik region, Karen Balyan, advisor to Syunik goverr, told Armenian media on Sunday.

Ethnic Armenian separatist authorities in Nagor-Karabakh also anunced that Russian peacekeepers would accompany anyone who wanted to leave region and go to Armenia.

At same time, two dozen ambulances carried 23 people who sustained severe wounds during two days of fighting that killed and injured scores of people out of Nagor-Karabakh to Armenia, country's Health Ministry said.

Nagor-Karabakh is located in Azerbaijan and came under control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by Armenian military, in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan took back parts of Nagor-Karabak along with territory surrounding region that Armenian forces had claimed during earlier conflict.

A Russia-brokered armistice ended war, and a contingent of about 2,000 Russian peacekeepers was sent to region to monitor it. Parts of Nagor-Karabakh that weren't retaken by Azerbaijan remained under control of separatist authorities.

In December, Azerbaijan imposed a blockade of only road connecting Nagor-Karabakh with Armenia, alleging that Armenian government was using road for mineral extraction and illicit weapons shipments to province's separatist forces.

Armenia charged that closure denied basic food and fuel supplies to Nagor-Karabakh's approximately 120,000 people. Azerbaijan rejected accusation, arguing region could receive supplies through Azerbaijani city of Aghdam — a solution long resisted by Nagor-Karabakh authorities, who called it a strategy for Azerbaijan to gain control of region.

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched heavy artillery fire against ethnic Armenian forces in Nagor-Karabakh, who conceded to demands to lay down ir arms that next day. Nagor-Karabakh's final status remains an open question, however, and is at centre of talks between sides that began on Thursday in Azerbaijani city of Yevlakh.

As part of a cease-fire agreement reached last week, separatist forces in Nagor-Karabakh started surrendering tanks, air defence systems and or weapons to Azerbaijani army. As of Sunday, process of surrendering arms was still underway, Azerbaijani military said.

Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said on Sunday that disarmed and demobilised Armenian troops would be allowed to leave region and go to Armenia.