Armenians withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh are burning their houses

For decades, residents of the Kelbecker district in the region of Azerbaijan controlled by Armenian separatists withdrew en masse this week when it was announced that Azerbaijan would take control of the territory on Sunday.

The clashes between the Armenian-backed separatist forces and the Azerbaijani army lasted for six weeks in late September. More than 1.4 thousand people died during them. people and thousands of residents were forced from their homes.

In the village of Charektar, on the border with neighboring Martakert, which will remain under Armenian control, at least six houses were burned on Saturday morning and thick gray smoke rose over the valley, an AFP news agency reported.

“Here is my house, I cannot leave it to the Turks,” as Armenians often call Azerbaijanis, said one resident, throwing burning firewood and gasoline-soaked rags at an empty house.

“Today everyone will burn their houses … We have until midnight to leave,” added the man.

At least 10 houses were burned in and around Cherektar on Friday.

Earlier this week, Armenia and Azerbaijan, through Moscow’s mediation, agreed to end hostilities after previous attempts to declare a ceasefire backed by Russia, France and the United States failed.

An important part of the new agreement is the condition that the Armenians return the Kelbecker districts to Azerbaijan, the Agdam districts before November 20, and the Lachin districts by December 1. These areas have been controlled by Armenian separatists since the devastating war of the 1990s.

Under the agreement, Russian peacekeepers have been deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh since Wednesday. They control a major transportation corridor that connects Armenia with the disputed region.

Russian troops have said 16 observation posts will be established in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor as part of a mission involving nearly 2,000 soldiers.