Ethnic Armenians flee Karabakh after breakaway region's defeat
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00:00 They're among the first refugees to arrive from Nagorno-Karabakh,
00:03 crossing through Azerbaijani territory to the Armenian border town of Kornadzor.
00:08 They decided to flee following Azerbaijan's military operation last week in the territory,
00:14 which is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians.
00:17 24 hours later, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh were forced to declare a ceasefire.
00:22 "It was a nightmare. There are no words to describe it.
00:28 The village was heavily shelled. There's almost no one left.
00:31 Most people have been evacuated. Now we're here, thanks to God."
00:35 Around 120,000 Armenians live in the territory. Under the ceasefire, Azerbaijan has said it
00:42 would integrate the region while guaranteeing the rights of the Armenians living there.
00:46 But many say they fear persecution.
00:48 "Today we left. They told us either you leave or you get an Azerbaijani passport.
00:56 We're not the sorts of people who would do that."
00:58 Azerbaijan's latest offensive has put pressure on the Armenian prime minister.
01:04 The capital has witnessed days of protests and calls for him to resign.
01:08 On Sunday, he once again pointed the finger of blame at Russia.
01:12 "It has become clear to us all that the instruments of Armenia and Russia's
01:18 military-political cooperation are insufficient for protecting the external security of Armenia."
01:25 He'd already accused Russian peacekeepers of standing idly by amid the Azerbaijani offensive.
01:30 Armenia says that more than 200 people were killed and 400 wounded in the operation.