On September 19, Azerbaijan launched an attack on several locations in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but mainly populated and governed by ethnic Armenians. Twenty-four hours later, a ceasefire was announced. Today, Armenian authorities reported that more than 28,000 ethnic Armenians have crossed the Lachin corridor between Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian border, in search of safety and humanitarian assistance in Armenia.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has sent a team to Goris, a town in Syunik province in southern Armenia, to provide aid to people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh after several months of living under siege. We are preparing to provide mental health support to those affected, while we remain ready to adapt to evolving needs as more people arrive.
“The people of this region have endured nine months of isolation, cut off from crucial material and food supplies, as well as medical and humanitarian assistance,” said Franking Frias, MSF's head of mission in Armenia. “They found themselves trapped amidst bombardment and gunshots, forced to make heart-wrenching choices between staying and risking their lives or leaving everything behind to look for safety.”
