UN stands ready to facilitate provision of assistance to population  affected by situation in Nagorno- Karabakh

ArmInfo. The UN is ready to assist in providing assistance to the population affected by the  situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.  Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva stated on Tuesday.

"The UN is monitoring very closely the mass movements towards  Armenia, and we are very concerned about what is happening. We are  ready to: assess humanitarian needs and provide assistance to  affected people: We are ready to support relief efforts," Ms.   Vellucci said at a briefing in Geneva, Ria Novosti reports.

At the same time, representative of the Office of the United Nations  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Shabia Mantoo, called on all  parties to refrain from actions that could force the civilian  population to leave their homes, and to ensure the safety of  residents. She stated that UNHCR teams are deployed in southern  Armenia and are closely monitoring the situation. At the same time,  the department, at the request of the Armenian government, has  already provided some non-food support, including folding beds and  mattresses. "UNHCR is preparing further assistance and is working  closely with local authorities and partners," she said.

On September 19, Azerbaijan, under the pretext of an "anti-terrorist  operation," undertook another act of aggression against Artsakh. As a  result of enemy aggression, hundreds of Artsakh residents were  injured, more than 200 deaths were reported, including civilians, and  more than 10,000 were evacuated.

On September 20, Artsakh fell. Azerbaijan began the forcible  subjugation of the NKR. On September 20, late in the evening it  became known that Azerbaijan had deliberately shot at the car of the  Russian peacekeeping contingent, killing 5 people, including the  deputy commander of the RPC. Today, there were reports that one  soldier was killed and another was wounded as a result of shooting at  another RPCvehicle.  On September 21, a meeting between  representatives of Baku and Stepanakert was held in Yevlakh.   Azerbaijan demanded the disarmament of the Artsakh Defense Army, the  surrender of all military personnel and the abolition of all  government bodies.

On September 22, the process of abolishing the Artsakh Defense Army  began. There are reports that the enemy side exterminated the  population of the villages captured on September 19-20. During search  operations from September 21 to 24, the NKR Ministry of Internal  Affairs discovered the bodies of 105 Artsakh residents, including  brutally murdered children and elderly people.

As of the morning of September 26, more than 13 thousand forcibly  displaced Artsakh residents had already arrived in Armenia. The night  before it also became known that Artsakh was connected to the energy  system of Azerbaijan. Protests demanding the resignation of the RA  Prime Minister continue in Yerevan and regions.

We add that as a result of the explosion that took place in the fuel  depot near Stepanakert yesterday, according to preliminary data, more  than 290 people were injured, 20 more died, there are still missing  people.  

The EU stated that it would allocate an additional 5 million euros to  assist internally displaced people from Artsakh. Earlier today, USAID  Administrator Samantha Power, who is on a visit to Armenia, said that  "the United States will provide Armenia with support in the amount of  $11.5 million for the humanitarian needs of people displaced from  Nagorno-Karabakh."

In addition, as ArmInfo previously reported with reference to the  Swedish Ambassador to Armenia, Sweden, through the Swedish  International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), allocated 15  million Swedish kronor to the International Committee of the Red  Cross to meet the humanitarian needs of the population of  Nagorno-Karabakh.