Nine families remain in Shurnukh after eviction

Temporary housing has been provided to nine families who were forced to leave their homes in the village of Shurnukh after the transfer of part thereof to Azerbaijan. The owners of three more houses left for their relatives. Some of the villagers set fire to their houses before leaving.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 24, 2020, Azerbaijani officials, according to the head of the Armenian village of Shurnukh, demarcated the border and demanded that a part of this village with 12 houses be transferred to Azerbaijan. On January 2, the headman of Shurnukh said that an Azerbaijani military post had been set up in the village, and residents of the eastern part of the village were ordered to move out by January 5.

Nine out of 12 families who were forced to leave their houses after a part of the village of Shurnukh (the Azerbaijani name is Shurnukhu) passed under the control of Azerbaijan, stayed to live in the village. According to Narek Babayan, Vice-Governor of Syunik, the hostess of one of the houses, an elderly woman, has moved to her daughter living in the city of Kapan until the issue of her own house is resolved. Two more families moved to Goris to their relatives. The rest of them have settled in empty houses in Shurnukh. "People asked for two temporary houses; and the Governor allowed them to occupy these houses. At the moment, nine of these 12 families live in the village," the "News.am" has quoted the Governor as saying on January 4.

The Telegram channel "Re:public of Artsakh" has added that villagers not only left their houses in Shurnukh, but also set them on fire.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 5, 2021 at 03:44 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.