The flow of people to the city of Goris in Armenia has ebbed. Many have moved on, but among the thousands who remain is the Hayrapetyan family.
– We arrived last night. We drove here and there terrified and somehow we got to Goris, says Mila Hayrapetyan.
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is long but flared up after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with a second war in 2020. With the latest military offensive, which the Azeris say is an anti-terrorist operation, Azerbaijan has completely loosened its grip. People basically fled overnight.
“The trauma will have a long-term impact”
– It is a sad situation, we already have 100,000 refugees in Armenia. This emotional and psychological trauma will have a long-term impact, says Liana Sahakyan, founder of the aid organization Sose.
Azerbaijan says the region should be reintegrated and Armenians can live in safety under Azeri rule. But among the refugees in Goris, you see ethnic cleansing, with no return.
– I wish we could return, that everything will be fine. But we have no hope, says Mila Hayrapetyan.
See more about the Hayrapetyan family’s situation in the clip above.