MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. The number of refugees coming to Armenia after fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh has stopped rising, said Nazeli Bagdasaryan, a spokeswoman for the Armenian prime minister.
"The number of Nagorno-Karabakh residents that moved to Armenia hasn’t increased since the latest update. As of this time, of the 100,520 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh that found refuge in Armenia, 91,031 have been registered. Of them, 59,059 received aid as part of the government’s relief program. That includes accommodation and various other types of aid," she said.
Tensions reignited in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19. Baku announced it was starting "local anti-terrorist measures" and demanded the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the region. Yerevan said there were no Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and described the situation as "an act of large-scale aggression." Russia called on the sides of the conflict to halt the bloodshed and return to diplomacy. On September 20, an agreement was reached to halt hostilities. Representatives of Azerbaijan and the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh held a meeting in the Azerbaijani town of Yevlakh on September 21 to discuss the issues of the region’s reintegration with Azerbaijan.
The president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on September 28 to dissolve the unrecognized state from January 1, 2024. Its people have been urged to consider the terms of reintegration in Azerbaijan, which were offered by Baku, and stay put if they choose to do so.