Armenian refugees grapple with loss, uncertainty

Over 100,000 ethnic Armenians, including Suren Martirosyan’s family, flee Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani forces reclaim the disputed region in a swift offensive.

The refugee crisis in Armenia intensifies, leaving families displaced and dreams shattered.

Suren Martirosyan, gazing back at his fruit garden, vividly recalls the final moments before escaping, where pomegranates and persimmons adorned trees under the brilliant sun. Now residing in a decrepit house in Noyakert, the Martirosyans reflect the anguish of a displaced population.

The sudden offensive on September 19 prompted panic as machine-gun fire and artillery shells erupted near their homes.

The surrender of Armenian separatist authorities after a single day of fighting, blamed by some on Russian peacekeepers and the Yerevan government, marked the end of a longstanding territorial dispute.

Seemingly undoing a historic move, separatist president Samvel Shahramanyan declared that the breakaway republic “will cease to exist” but later reversed the decision.

Despite the symbolic gesture, Karabakh is under full Azerbaijani control, leaving refugees like Arevik Martirosyan’s family yearning for a return, conditionally emphasizing separation from Azerbaijanis.

As Armenia and Azerbaijan discuss a potential peace agreement based on territorial integrity recognition, the deep-seated ethnic hatred lingering among Karabakh refugees challenges the hope for lasting peace. Boris Dolukhanyan, a 65-year-old refugee, refuses to believe in coexistence, expressing a desire to reclaim land through strength, haunted by the loss of his son in the 2020 war.

Dolukhanyan’s family, once leading a prosperous life in Karabakh’s main city, now faces economic strain in Yerevan, highlighting the stark contrast from their previous paradise. The Christmas wish of his 10-year-old granddaughter, Ruzanna, echoes the collective yearning for a miracle to return home, emphasizing the challenging journey ahead for displaced Armenians.