Given the scale of the needs that the people in Nagorno-Karabakh are facing, the US will provide 11.5 mln dollars in humanitarian assitance, Samantha Power, administrator of the USAID, told reporters in Kornidzor, Syunik.

During the nine months that the government of Azerbaijan had locked this corridor, it created excruciating humanitarian conditions for the people living in Nagorno-Karabakh: blockages of food, medicine and supplies created dire shortages inside Nagorno-Karabakh, she added.

According to Samantha Power, humanitarian organizations, independent eyes and ears were shut out; the government of Azerbaijan did not allow independent access and entry to be able to meet the humanitarian needs of the people in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“As you all know, the military attacks of last week have made a dire situation even worse. It is absolutely critical that humanitarian organizations be granted full an unimpeded access to Lachin corridor and into the villages and towns of Nagorno-Karabakh. On the instructions of President Biden, I came here to talk with the RA authorities, most importantly, with the civilians who are leaving Nagorno-Karabakh. It is hard to see and hear everything these families are going through.

As you know, the experiences these families have had are harrowing. Many of them fled their villages under shelling and many who have arrived here are according to the doctors that we spoke to suffering severe malnutrition. As am sure many of you have seen the trauma and exhaustion is visible on the face of so many of the people that one encounters here. It is absolutely critical that independent monitors as well as humanitarian organizations get access to the people in Nagorno-Karabakh who still have dire needs.  

We know that there are injured civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh who need to be evacuated and it is essential that evacuations be facilitated by the government of Azerbaijan.