Armenia - Around 120,000 ethnic Armenians announced their intention to leave for Armenia, said the leadership of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh reoprted Reuters.

The ethnic group expressed reluctance to live under Azerbaijani control, citing concerns about potential ethnic cleansing.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been beyond Baku's control since the Soviet Union's dissolution.

A ceasefire was declared on Sept. 20 after a swift 24-hour military operation by the larger Azerbaijani military. While Azerbaijan pledges to guarantee the rights of the Armenian population and integrate the region, the Armenian leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh has indicated their residents' desire to leave. Azerbaijan, on its part, denies any intention to harm the Armenian population.

"Our people do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan. Ninety-nine point nine percent prefer to leave our historic lands," stated David Babayan, an adviser to Samvel Shahramanyan, the president of the self-styled Republic of Artsakh.

The fate of the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh remains uncertain, and the process of disarmament among ethnic Armenian fighters is underway.

The potential exodus of the Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh adds another layer of complexity to the region's tumultuous history. Over the centuries, it has come under the influence of various powers, including Persians, Turks, Russians, Ottomans, and Soviets. This situation could also impact the balance of power in the South Caucasus, a region marked by ethnic diversity and crisscrossed with crucial oil and gas pipelines. Russia, the United States, Turkey, and Iran are actively competing for influence in the area.

Azerbaijan's recent military victory seems to bring an end to one of the longstanding "frozen conflicts" that originated from the Soviet Union's dissolution. President Ilham Aliyev has declared the idea of an independent ethnic Armenian Karabakh as history, envisioning the region as a "paradise" under Azerbaijani control.

Armenia reports over 200 people killed and 400 wounded in the Azerbaijani military operation, raising concerns in Moscow, Washington, and Brussels.

Historical Background and Ongoing Conflict
Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Artsakh to Armenians, has been a disputed territory claimed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia since the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917. During Soviet times, it was designated an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. As the Soviet Union disintegrated, the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh gained independence from Azeri control, sparking the First Karabakh War from 1988 to 1994, which resulted in casualties and displacement.

In 2020, Azerbaijan, with Turkey's backing, won a decisive 44-day Second Karabakh War, recapturing territory in and around Karabakh. A Russian-brokered peace deal ended the war but raised concerns over Moscow's ability to ensure peace.

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have received humanitarian aid, and Russia, as a mediator, is overseeing the disarmament process, with 2,000 peacekeepers stationed in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed continued support for Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing the United States' commitment to the region.