Nagorno-Karabakh: Explosion at Fuel Depot Kills 20; Ethnic Armenians Flee En Masse to Yerevan – News18

Local Armenian authorities on Tuesday said that an explosion at a fuel depot in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh killed at least 20 people and injured hundreds more, according to reports by the BBC and AFP.

They also said that over 300 are admitted to hospitals and dozens remain in critical condition. Following the Azeri claims of takeover of the restive mountainous region, over 13,350 refugees crossed into Armenia.

The explosion occurred in the city of Stepanakert, which was once a rebel stronghold. “As a result of the explosion in the fuel warehouse, the number of injured exceeds 200.

The disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.

The health condition of the majority is severe or extremely severe. The medical capacities of Nagorno-Karabakh are not enough,” Human Rights Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said. There is no clarity on what caused the explosion.

Here Is All You Need to Know About the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict:

• Thousands of ethnic Armenians fearing retribution at the hands of Azeri authorities have streamed into Armenia through the Lachin Corridor. The flow of vehicles was continuous, with families piling their belongings on top of their cars and stopping only a few seconds at the last Azerbaijani checkpoint, AFP said in a report.
• Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that ethnic cleansing is underway in the mountainous region. However, Azerbaijan says it wants to re-integrate ethnic Armenians and will treat them as “equal citizens”.
• Authorities from both nations will meet in Brussels on Tuesday. The talks are being backed by the European Union (EU). This is the first time Baku and Yerevan will speak since Azeris captured the rebel province last week. NSAs of both nations will represent the delegations.
• Nagorno-Karabakh is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan but ethnic Armenians were in control of the region for three decades.
• Five Russian soldiers, stationed there as peacekeepers, alongside at least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in the lightning fast offensive led by Baku last week.
• The separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have accepted a ceasefire and agreed to disarm but there are fears about the safety of the residents. The BBC citing ethnic Armenian leaders said thousands are without food or shelter and sleeping in basements, school buildings or outside.