Karabakh residents question guarantees of safe passage through Lachin

Today, the road through the Lachin corridor has been officially opened for civilian vehicles, but assurances from the authorities concerning the safety of the new route did not convince residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the agreement between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on the cessation of the hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh had come into force on November 10, the Armenian population of the Karvachar District (the Azerbaijani name is Kelbajar, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") began to leave for Armenia en masse along the road from Martakert (the Azerbaijani name is Agdere, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") leading to Karvachar and Vardenis. Refugees, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, are returning from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor.

The road through the Lachin corridor is open, with arranged observer posts of the Russian peacekeeping forces, which controls the ceasefire regime, the "Sputnik Armenia" reports.

A resident of Berdzor says that the road is still closed for passenger buses, and only a motor convoy of the Russian peacekeepers has passed through it. "I think it's too early to talk about the safety of this road," the source said.

Nune Simonyan, a resident of Stepanakert, notes that she does not plan to return to Stepanakert yet because of the unsettled situation. However, the woman notes if she decides to return, then she will not take a risk to go through the Lachin corridor.

David Simonyan, a resident of Stepanakert, a blogger of the "Caucasian Knot", also plans to return home through Karvachar. According to him, the road is much more convenient and shorter than the road through Berdzor.