More than 1,100 refugees have returned to Stepanakert, the capital of the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, within the past 24 hours with the assistance from Russian peacekeepers, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"Russian peacekeepers escorted regular buses with refugees returning to Nagorno-Karabakh from the territory of the Republic of Armenia. In total, 1,136 people arrived from Yerevan to Stepanakert on buses," the ministry said in a statement.
The buses were escorted by patrols of Russian peacekeepers and military police.
Overall, more than 36,000 refugees have already returned to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In November, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, putting an end to the six-week war over the disputed area. The agreement resulted in the loss of most territories controlled by the self-proclaimed republic and stipulated deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region.
After the hostilities had ceased, Armenian refugees started to return to Nagorno-Karabakh, with Russian peacekeepers ensuring their safety. (/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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