Nagorno-Karabakh 'state' will cease to exist from January 1st, Kornidzor, Armenia - 28 Sep 2023
Armenian volunteers distribute water and food to ethnic Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh region near the village of Kornidzor, Armenia, 28 September 2023. Azerbaijan on 19 September 2023 launched a brief military offensive on the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway enclave that is home to some 120,000 ethnic Armenians. The Armenian government announced the evacuation of more than 68,000 local residents from Nagorno-Karabakh, following a ceasefire agreed on 20 September with Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist as a self-proclaimed state from 01 January 2024, the region's separatist leader, Samvel Shakhramanyan, announced on 28 September, after signing a decree to dissolve all its institutions.