Separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh says it will disband by January 2024

Some 42,500 people, or about 35% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population, had left for Armenia as of Wednesday morning, officials said (AP)

The separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh has announced that it will dismantle itself and the unrecognised republic will cease to exist by January 1 2024.

The move comes after Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive to reclaim full control over its breakaway region, demanding that Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh lay down their weapons and urging the separatist government to disband.