The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, stated that his country is ready to host the displaced from the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, after its surrender to Azerbaijani forces.
He mentioned that accommodations have been prepared for tens of thousands of people, although he does not see "any direct threat" to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have warned that the population may face ethnic cleansing, but Azerbaijan stated that it seeks "the peaceful reintegration" of the region.

It is noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the vast majority of its population is ethnically Armenian, and they are supported by Armenia.

The Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire with Azerbaijan on Wednesday, after 24 hours of intense fighting.

Under the terms of the ceasefire brokered by Russia, local Karabakh forces committed to fully disband and disarm.

Jigham Stepanyan, the human rights ombudsman in Karabakh, stated on social media that the streets of the capital Khankendi, known to Armenians as Stepanakert, "are filled with displaced people, hungry and scared, living in a state of uncertainty."

In a televised address, the Armenian Prime Minister stated that approximately 120,000 Armenians in the region should be allowed to remain "in their homes in dignified and safe conditions."

Pashinyan said that his country began preparing for a potential influx of refugees when fighting broke out and is ready to welcome up to 40,000 families.

He added that more than 10,000 people headed to Khankendi Airport on Wednesday, hoping for evacuation. The airport is adjacent to a Russian peacekeeping base.

Earlier, local forces in Nagorno-Karabakh accused the Azerbaijani army of violating the ceasefire. Footage shared on social media showed people in Khankendi running in search of shelter, with what appeared to be small arms fire heard in the background.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense quickly denied reports of resumed fighting, describing them as "completely false."

Pashinyan also stated that the ceasefire holds, denying reports that the Azerbaijani army entered the regional capital.

Meanwhile, delegations from the Armenian and Azerbaijani ethnicities met in the town of "Yevlakh," located about 100 kilometers north of Khankendi, to discuss the future of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Images published by Azerbaijani state media showed members of both delegations sitting with members of the Russian peacekeeping mission.

After several hours, the Azerbaijani presidential office announced in a statement that the negotiations concluded and that fuel, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid would be sent to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The presidential office described the talks as "constructive and positive," but a representative of the country also stated that it is difficult to expect all problems between Azerbaijan and the Armenians of Karabakh to be resolved in one session, as reported by Russian news agency RIA.

A follow-up meeting is expected to be held in the near future.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been isolated since Azerbaijan effectively closed the only road linking the enclave to Armenia in December 2022.

Russia has stated that its peacekeeping forces have evacuated 5,000 people from dangerous areas since the start of the attack, as reported by Interfax news agency.

The breakaway region in the South Caucasus is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and the government in Baku has made it clear that it intends to take full control.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev praised the ceasefire agreement, describing it as a major victory, announcing that his country has regained its sovereignty over the region for the first time in decades.

However, the Armenian population fears that Azerbaijani control could lead to ethnic cleansing, forcing the Armenians of Karabakh to flee.

Davit Babayan, an advisor to the Karabakh authorities, told Reuters that his people cannot be left to die and that security guarantees are needed before local forces hand over their weapons.

President Aliyev stated that his country has nothing against the population, only against the "criminal military council."

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to discuss the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh later.

Weakened by months of a blockade and without significant international support, Karabakh forces suffered rapid losses on the ground against Azerbaijan, which launched its military operation last Tuesday.

Karabakh authorities reported hundreds of dead and injured. The BBC was unable to verify these figures, and independent observers have been unable to access the region since the onset of the blockade.

Azerbaijani prosecutors state that five Russian peacekeepers were accidentally killed during the Azerbaijani attack. Russian reports stated that among them was the deputy commander of the forces, Ivan Kofjan. Prosecutors say a sixth Russian was killed in an Armenian attack.

The Kremlin stated that President Aliyev expressed his condolences and informed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that an investigation will be conducted into the deaths of the Russian military personnel.

Armenians have controlled Karabakh since the bloody war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Violence has repeatedly erupted over the years, including during the major escalation in 2020, when Azerbaijan regained control over the region in a six-week war.

Clashes erupted between police and protesters in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Wednesday, where thousands demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.